Horncastle 25 Bargain Hunt

Welcome to Horncastle.

Well, there aren't many horns about and the castle's long since gone

but on this programme we do do what it says on the tin.

So, let's go and do it! Let's go bargain hunting, yeah!

This is Horncastle, in Lincolnshire.

The Romans built a fort here of which little remains.

Today the town offers a number of well-stocked antique shops -

enough to keep even the most battle hardened bargain hunter

bargaining and haggling for many a long hour.

Just pity our teams then

because they've only got just one measly hour.

On today's show...

the Reds run amok...

-Do you have your running shoes on?

-Yes!

-OK, follow me!

-Ah!

..while the Blues give JP the jitters...

There's two minutes left and my heart's going to stop in a minute.

Put things down, let's concentrate!

On Bargain Hunt today we have two teams of friends.

For the Reds, we've got Helen and Sally,

and for the Blues we've got Jules and Debs.

-Hello, everyone.

-ALL: Hello.

Lovely to see you. Now, girls, how did you to meet?

Well, I moved into Northamptonshire about four and a half years ago

and went to church, and I met a lot of lovely people there,

and Sally was one of them.

And a few months later

I actually ended up working at the same adventure centre as Sally.

So, what happens in your adventure centre?

It's a brilliant place and we have a lot of children

and youth groups come, and they do activities like canoeing

and abseiling, and raft building, and they learn things as well.

Now, what's all this about you going up Kilimanjaro?

Yes, did that last year for the charity that we work for

and I'm pleased to say I made it all the way to the top -

a pretty exhausting experience!

But you get a lack of oxy... I mean, it's quite high, isn't it?

It is, it is quite high, yes, it's 5,800 metres!

Well, I hope today won't be an uphill struggle for you, darling.

Talking about struggling, Sally, not to be outdone,

-you've been up to it a bit too, haven't you?

-That's right, I went.

I hadn't been in plane before, hadn't had the opportunity

and then the first time I went into a plane I jumped out of it!

So, presumably, they provided a parachute, did they?

They did provide a parachute. A tandem parachute jump, yes.

Do you sit on top of somebody

or do they sit on top of you and you jump out together?

Yeah, they, basically, you stand by the door and then they go.

-They push you?

-Yes.

-OK. But they are attached to you, are they?

-Oh, of course, yes!

-Oh, that's fair enough. I bet for charity?

-Yes, for charity, yes!

-You girls are lovely, aren't you?

-I think you're smashing.

-Thank you.

Now, girls, you to look pretty active. Jules, how did you meet?

We met when some mutual friends

-organised a bike ride around Rutland Water.

-Lovely.

Now, Jules, what do you do for a living?

I'm an art teacher and artist.

-What sort of things do like to paint yourself?

-I like to paint portraits.

I have a room of home that is full of portraits.

The other thing it says you're mad about is tea trolleys.

-Tell us about that.

-I love tea trolleys, Tim.

I think they are great fun to just wheel into your sitting room.

-Do you have a lot of tea parties?

-Yes, tea parties.

My trolley has three tiers.

-The top tier is removable, which is very useful.

-Yes.

-So, teatime round at your place is rather special?

-It's good.

-Yeah, very good.

-And what about you, Debs, you off your trolley t...

I mean, are you keen on the trolley? Are you keen on the trolley?

-Yes, it Julie's purchased a trolley for myself as well!

-Really?

So, what keeps you busy then, Debs?

I've got a shop and I buy and sell things to put in it.

It started with just old pieces

but I've, kind of, gone on to more reproduction things is well, now.

But fill it with old pieces as well.

Oh, lovely, so, we've got a bit of an expert on the show?

No, I wouldn't say that!

-We've got somebody who buys and sells decorative pieces!

-Yes.

Oh, poor Debs.

This is going to be quite a responsibility for you, isn't it?

-Yes, yes, it is, yes.

-OK, fine.

Now the money moment. Here's your £300, £300 apiece.

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

-Thank you.

And very good luck.

To trolley or not to trolley, that is the question.

For the Red team today we have a man

who can find a great deal on any level -

it's Charles Hanson.

And for the Blues we have a man who goes cock-a-hoop for a bargain -

It's Jonathan Pratt.

What are you ladies after?

Something quirky and interesting.

-Something that is different, something I've not seen before.

-OK.

-We'd like something useful and practical, perhaps?

-Really?

-With an antique theme?

-Yes, hopefully.

Maybe a little piece of furniture?

Any more specific?

Something that makes a profit!

"Something that makes a profit"? OK, let's go looking.

-Tell me, you guys first met where and how?

-We first met in church.

I moved into the local area where Sally lives and that's where we met.

-And look.

-Oh!

Well, how appropriate!

Maybe some divine inspiration is coming your way, Reds?

-They've got some glass and there, Jules.

-Come on, let's go in.

-Thank you very much.

-Actually!

-We're off and winning now, thank you very much.

-THEY LAUGH

Come on, girls, Hanson's head isn't that big!

-There must be ten or 15,000 pieces here.

-I know.

So, plenty to choose from, eh, girls?

-I really like this.

-That is nice, yes.

-It's a little bit wobbly on his, on his feet!

-Yeah.

-I'll test you. What period?

-Deco.

-Why is its Deco?

-This style.

-You know, it's very stylised. '20s, '30s.

-Exactly. How much is it?

-Erm...

280. What's our budget?

-300!

-300.

-Exactly. Exactly.

-Oh, bye!

I think a bit expensive.

Yes, Reds, let's keep that £300 figure in mind, shall we?

The Blues are facing the agony of choice.

Shall we move through and have a look in the other room?

-He said there was some retro things upstairs.

-Let's have a look in here.

This is mostly furniture.

And neither side have had that epiphany they're looking for yet.

We won't touch too much.

I always find, you know, vintage costume,

things like top hats, always do very well...

We're back to hats!

-..hat case and a hat together. It suits you!

-I quite like it.

You look like the Artful Dodger!

-Or the Mad Hatter! Come on.

-Sorry, we're wasting time!

Well said, Reds. That's true, the clock ticks on.

Julia and Debbie are tea trolley aficionados

and they know what they like, and what they don't.

I don't what you think of this, to be honest.

It's a full set and it's typically '50s.

-I can see from your face your thinking, "No!"

-Do you know what?

Jonathan, there's not enough flowers on it and birds.

-Is it not enough flowers for you?

-There's too much white.

-Really? OK.

-They've got to have more colour.

-Do you like this, sort of, chintzy stuff?

-I quite like this, yes.

-That's very pretty.

-So, a quantity of that would be quite good, for you.

Yes.

Yeah, plenty of that, Blues -

and a decision, as soon as you're ready, eh?

We are 20 minutes in.

Do you have your running shoes on?

-Yes!

-Let's go for a jog.

-OK.

-Excellent, let's go!

-OK, follow me.

-Ah!

-Warmed up?

-Yes!

-Great.

Anything that's just come in that's really market fresh?

There's a new person come in upstairs.

-OK, guys, we'll go upstairs, OK?

-OK.

-Let's start up there.

That's where the market fresh things might be.

Oh, I'm exhausted just watching you, Reds. What about you, Blues?

How are your energy levels doing?

-OK, ladies.

-Yes.

-Something I've spotted downstairs,

-when you were looking at the tea service.

-Yeah.

Victorian needlework.

-But it is the sort of thing that gets sold at auction.

-Is it?

Yeah, it is.

And we do need to commit things. You hate it, don't you?

-You really do hate it.

-THEY LAUGH

I can't... I must say, I don't really like it much myself, either!

What I'd love, Jonathan, is something to go on my tea trolley -

-even if it's a special cup and saucer.

-OK.

Got all the linens and the linens look great on a trolley

but I'm just imagining a fab cup and saucer or a special jug,

or a fabulous sandwich plate.

There is no sets here and the fab sandwich plates will cost you...

Well, it would be £10-£15 and you won't get any money.

-We're buying for profit at auction...

-We are.

..not to look nice on a tea trolley.

I think silverware for a trolley, then, could be the option. Maybe.

Yeah, I think you've got your work cut out here. Keep trying, Jonathan.

What about this for a bit of a tea trolley novelty?

Now, we all know what a tea trolley is -

grannies had them to move plates of sandwiches

from the kitchen into the front room for high tea.

Well, this is rather fun because it's a miniature variety

and it's in chromium plate.

Chromium plated household goods

were very much a look of the 1920s and 1930s,

and that's when this miniature tea trolley dates from.

It's kitsch, isn't it? It's oddball.

You got two glazed stages, which are easy to clean

and of course, it has got a great practical purpose.

You could load it up today, perhaps, with your savouries

at a drinks party, pass it around to your guests.

But really, to look at its very best what you need

is some of these jobs - cupcakes.

The 21st-century phenomenon of people baking and buying,

and decorating cupcakes has been extreme.

There, look what that's done to jolly up our miniature tea trolley.

Delightful.

What's it worth?

Well, the miniature kitsch tea trolley

could be yours today for £20.

What are the cupcakes worth?

Well, depending on where you live - Chelsea price, £4 each,

Lincolnshire Price, £1.50 each.

Hm, I know which I would prefer to be taking home!

Forget high tea, it's high time our teams made a purchase.

You are both going to have to pluck something out of the air

or off the shelf and no sitting down on the job either!

-That's a nice chair, isn't it? May I take it out?

-You can.

Would you mind? Nice chair.

That's a really sweet chair with a concave seat,

which appears to be elm.

And look where the legs o...

All the feet over the years have just rubbed this lower rail.

Lovely latticed back in this. Lovely shaped top rail.

-Do you think it's been cut off?

-Could have been cut down slightly.

How old would it be?

I would've thought this chair is probably around 1820.

-Really, that old?!

-1830.

This chair is something which you would happily place a doll on

-or you could put a teddy bear on...

-It's a bedroom chair.

-Can I sit on it?

-Yeah, absolutely. See how it feels.

Quite right, Helen. Is it fit for purpose? Standby.

-It's good for people with short legs, actually!

-Exactly.

-And after that long run as well.

-I need a sit down!

-It's actually really comfortable.

-Is it?

-Yeah!

-Oh.

-Yes, it's all right.

-Out of interest, what is the best price on this chair?

-For us, for us.

-£10.

-You couldn't do eight, could you?

-Well, seeing as it's you!

-For us!

-Do you like it?

-I think we should have that for £8.

-It is lovely.

-To me, for a country chair, for £8.

Yes, let's go for it!

But we can only buy three items and £8 is a very small spend.

-Yes, but we might leave you lots of money after.

-Exactly!

-Are you happy to go with that chair?

-Absolutely.

-Yes.

-Look at me.

-Shall we buy it?

-Yes.

-Give her a handshake.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-Thanks ever so much.

Well, that CHAIRED things up! I was beginning to worry.

You Blues need to follow suit.

20 minutes left and you've not bought a sausage.

I know it looks a bit shabby but I quite like that.

Well, this is better, in some ways more than others. I'll explain.

-That's quite a nicely painted top, it's 19th-century.

-Yeah.

You've got a stem which has been completely repainted.

But I'm thinking, Jonathan,

if you were to sit down with your cup of tea, you see, and a piece of cake.

-Yeah.

-You know.

-Are you going to bring me some cake?

No, I've not got any but that would be perfect.

Well, it's not a lot of money, it's £28. It fits in with your style.

You know, would you buy that for £28 if you walked in here, for home?

-I would.

-I would, yes.

-OK, then, do you know what?

If you look at it one way you're limiting your loss

because you won't lose very much on it at all but it's decorative.

We like it because it's decorative.

And that's almost driven me because I like it so much

but I think there is a possibility

it might not make very much money at all,

unless we're lucky and someone has got the same taste as we have.

You might be over analysing this, Julia.

But, quite honestly, if you don't buy it I'm walking out.

-We're buying it, Jonathan, we are buying it now.

-We're buying it!

Now, that is an exasperated JP laying his cards out on the table.

Will it be their first buy? I certainly hope so.

Hey, Charles, look, a horn, and we are in Horncastle!

-SHE HONKS THE HORN

-Oh, you're so funny!

You're so funny! Come on.

Yes, someone had to do the horn gag -

I didn't expect it to be Sally though.

It's got to be 25.

-Really? That's just 10%.

-I know, I'm a right meanie, aren't I?

Can't you do just, please, please, 22.

-No.

-Right, we both like it so I think we'll go for that.

Oh, that's brilliant. Thanks very much.

I'll pop its downstairs for you.

Well done Blue team, a decision made at last

but there are only 15 minutes left

and you've both still got two items to find.

Oh, I really like the colour!

What you look for, first of all,

is the all-important are they painted or are they printed?

How can we tell its hand-painted?

Well, you can tell quite quickly from the canvas

whether it's a print made up of tiny dots to create a fairly good scene

or whether, in fact, by closer looking on the angle of the plate,

and indeed looking at individual brushstrokes,

you can see that it is hand-painted.

-They are gorgeous plates.

-I do like them.

Inspired by the Sevre factory in or around 1875, 1890.

I'm almost nervous because almost too good to be true.

You know? In their heyday they would have been worth £120 a plate.

-Really?!

-That's 240.

In my opinion, I think they are undervalued here, at £45 for a pair.

So, they are quite good. So, if I give the dealer shout now?

Well, give him a quick shout because time's ticking.

Hello, there.

-We are admiring a very fine pair of plates.

-Right.

-What's the best price for them?

-Best price would be £40.

-Look at me.

-£40.

-Oh.

-Whether I was looking at you and not looking at you, still £40.

-£40?

-£40. Here's a good man, OK, because it's all about margins

and I think they're really inexpensive at 45. They are nice.

-We're like taking small risks.

-Yes!

I love them and sometimes you buy with a passion

-so what I will do now is shake the man's hand.

-Excellent.

-Brilliant.

-Sold!

-Hurray!

-£40!

-Yay!

-Two down, two down.

Decisively done, Charles. So manly!

And the Red team are back on course with only one more item to find.

But you'd better find it quickly!

These used to do rather well, you know. It's got some age.

-At the end of the day, you've got to get something before we leave.

-OK.

-And that means fast!

-What about this, Jonathan?

-This, sort of, is it majolica?

-Yeah.

English pottery at the end of the 19th century.

-Very, very typical Victorian pottery.

-Yeah.

So it would be, probably, made in the 1870s, this.

-But just a novelty shape.

-Put milk in it or cream in it.

I would say, you know, you would sell it.

You know, you would sell it

and you would probably make a small profit out of it.

I would be fairly sure of it.

We haven't... We have less than ten minutes to buy two items.

-How much is that?

-£9.

-If it only made a tenner you've made a pound profit!

-Yes.

-You know?

-50p each, way-hey!

-OK.

I would say that needs to be bought, OK?

And then we need to find one other object.

I think we should go to the church, which could be our salvation,

and get that final object, and it might be something,

we find something higher brow, that really satisfies your...

But we only have a very short, very, very, very short time.

So, come on, let's go.

Well done, Blues, you're hardly breaking the bank though.

But your £9 jug is item number two.

Let's try and spend a little more on the last item, eh?

-I think what we ought to do is go to the next shop and run.

-Good plan.

Because if we're slow we'll be going going...gone!

-OK?

-Oh!

-So, come on!

-Let's go!

That man just can't resist a gavel.

Are we intending to spend the entire amount?

We're intending to give it a good go, Charles!

Right, because, I kid you not, here, this is the place.

Seven minutes.

Exactly, Jonathan, that means seven minutes to find, agree and buy.

Come along, teams! What are you trying to do to me?

Ladies...come over here.

-There's some really nice bits in this cabinet, here.

-Ooh!

You know, you've...

-Look at that wonderful fine silver nutmeg grater, there, at 595.

-HELEN GASPS

What I have seen, is not the chick, it's not the swan,

-it's the pair of shoes.

-Oh!

-Do you like them?

-Yes.

-We like shoes.

-Really? Do you like shoes?

-Yes, we do.

-And we're from Northamptonshire...

-Exactly!

-..home of shoemaking.

-Exactly! Let's get them out.

-Yes, have a look.

-May we view the shoes, please, in the cabinet?

Thank you.

-There you go.

-Wow. They are beautiful.

Tell me, in Northamptonshire, would you wear silver shoes?

I'd wear silver shoes anywhere, Charles! THEY LAUGH

What you've got here, they're actually pin cushions.

-Very much capturing the age of the rococo.

-They're light, aren't they?

They are quite light but they are sweet pin cushions

that a seamstress may have had in her work box,

back in the late Victorian, Edwardian times.

-Out of interest, the price, at 145 each?

-Mm-hm.

-Love your earrings!

THEY LAUGH

What's so funny? I like your jumper as well.

-We like charm, don't we?

-We love charm!

"Charm" is Charles's middle name!

Get out of here!

What's your absolute best price on them, please, madam?

If we bought them as a pair?

I could go to 210.

-210?

-210.

-That's good, isn't it?

-For the pair?

-Mm-hm.

-We could do that.

-I think we should do it.

-Yes.

Charles, tell us, what do you think?

-What I think? What do I think? Would you take £200?

-OK.

-Let's go for it!

-We'll go for it!

-OK, going, going...gone!

-Thank you very much, that's great, sold!

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

That's really great.

Well done, Reds, a great spend in the end

but you know how to fray a few nerves getting there, don't you?

And you Blues aren't helping much either!

Come on, five minutes. You've really got to find something.

Little tea service.

Perfect, you wanted something for the tea trolley, ladies,

and you've hardly spent big so far.

-£220.

-Oh, that's a lot of money.

Yeah, but it's Shelley.

-You've got one...two...

-Are they still making money, Jonathan?

You got a ten piece service.

Is it still making money? It's on the rise.

You're going to have to make a decision very soon.

We haven't got much time, you see. Have a look in there, there's...

See, that's a tea service.

It's Cauldon, which is, kind of, well known.

Excuse me?

-Little tea service in the basket?

-That's 5.50, is it, the tea service?

Is that per cup and saucer, or something?

-Per cup, saucer and a plate.

-£5.50 per cup, saucer and plate.

So, there's six of them. Six fives are...30.

-Plus the 50 is 33, take ten percent off, that's 30 quid.

-30 quid.

£30 or 200?

£30? Again, that's hardly blowing your loot, is it, Blues?

What would you say, Jonathan?

I'd say there's two minutes left

and my heart's going to stop in a minute.

-Put things down, let's concentrate!

-You just tell them, JP.

Shall we go for the Shelley, which is £200

or shall we go for this one, which is £30?

We've got two tea services.

That's a pretty pattern and it's not all expensive,

but it's not necessarily... But Shelley's more collectable

and we'll make more money at auction?

There's a bigger market for it, that's the bigger price.

A tea party isn't six cups and saucers. Ten is a tea party.

Is that a complete... Is that a complete set?

-Yes.

-It's complete for ten, yeah.

-I think we should go for the Shelley.

I don't like either

but I'd sooner lose on a smaller amount than a larger one.

A tea service like that probably would have made more...

-30 seconds left, you Blues.

-30 seconds.

-Quickly!

-This one?

-That one.

Right, OK, we're going to go for this. That's great.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

OK, assuming it all in top condition, your decision is this?

-Fine.

-Yes.

-Go shake the man's hand.

I think JP will need something a good deal stronger than tea

after all that lot! That's it, time to stop the shop!

Let's have a quick look at what the Red team bought, eh?

The Reds kicked off their shop

with the George III oak and elm country chair

for a comfy £8.

Then they plumped for two 19th century

Staffordshire porcelain plates for £40 for the pair.

Finally, they spent big on these silver pin cushions, paying £200.

-I don't know how we did it, really.

-You were a brick, Charles!

-Thank you.

-THEY LAUGH

How do you sell a brick? That's what I rather thought you said.

-Now, girls, how much did you spend?

-£248.

That is so lovely to hear, isn't it?

I mean, a mature and proper amount of money - 248. Lovely.

So, £52 of leftover lolly, please.

Thank you. Hells bells, good.

-OK.

-Thanks very much.

-What are you going to do with your £52, Charles?

I think, Tim, something with energy, drive, vigour, and enthusiasm.

LAUGHTER

OK, I'll try and decode that lot. It'll take me about 20 minutes!

Anyway, good luck, Charles. Good luck, girls.

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

The Blues finally got their shop under way

with this occasional table for £25.

They then chose this majolica pineapple jug.

£9 paid.

Finally they played it safe with this six piece tea service

handing over £30.

I think what you need is tablets, you lot.

-That was unbelievable. You left it so late.

-We did.

Nothing jumped out at us though, Tim, that was the problem.

-Nothing said, "Come and buy me." I love it.

-OK, fine!

-And how much did you spend all round?

-£64.

So I have £236 of leftover lolly.

£236, I mean I can't believe you only spent that paltry amount.

-I know, it's shameful.

-What's the matter with you, Debs? There you go.

There's a pile of cash. Now what are you going to do with that, JP?

-Save us!

-Yes, I'm going to put it away and save it!

I pretty much know what they like, but sadly it's not in Horncastle

so I might go to the next town. No, plenty of things, but I feel brave,

I think I might spend big this time.

And you've got lots to spend, Jonathan. Good luck, girls.

Meanwhile, we're heading off to BMAG. Do you know what that is?

It's the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and it's absolutely fab.

In the 18th century,

Birmingham was leading the way in science and technology.

During this time, Birmingham would register three times

as many patents as any other British town or city.

These new innovations ensured the city laid strong foundations

for a modern industrial society.

In the 19th century, Birmingham had become a city of a thousand trades,

including brass, silver, jewellery, guns, toys, metalwork.

You name it, they made it.

And I've come to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

to see just how this affected creativity.

One Birmingham manufacturer did an enormous amount to promote

the production of metalwork products in Birmingham,

and that was Elkington & Co.

George and Henry Elkington, in 1840,

patented an electroplating process,

which enabled them to plate incredibly complicated metal surfaces.

And if you look at this tazza, each piece of this started out life

as a rather boring piece of cast metal.

But because of the electroplating process,

Elkingtons were able to attach to that boring metal

a brilliant surface to make it look rich and expensive.

In this instance, parcel gilding,

ie. a mixture of silver and gold go to complete that process.

The other invention which Elkington came up with, which was brilliant,

was the electrotype, of which this dish is an example,

where you take a dye with a very complicated decorated surface,

sometimes taken from an original wrought-by-hand dish.

You put that into a vat of acid with, in this instance,

silver in suspension.

Pass a current through the dye and the silver will be attracted

to the dye and the tiny particles of silver,

having attached themselves,

would ultimately reveal an electroformed dish that looks like this.

Do you recognise this object?

Well, it's a copy of the dish that's presented every year

to the Wimbledon ladies singles finalist. Fantastic, isn't it?

Ultimately there was a reaction against all this mass production,

and some designers, including Charles Robert Ashbee,

set up their own guilds - centres where craftspeople

were encouraged to use only handcrafted methods

in the production of objects.

And this wee dish is one of his dishes.

It's hallmarked in London in 1901, and is of supremely elegant form.

There are two out-swept handles,

and if you look carefully at the plain finish,

actually it's made up of thousands of little dents.

This is called planishing

and if you raise a piece of silver from a solid piece,

it requires a lot of hammering out,

which shows that it's been raised entirely by hand.

For us now though, the big question for our teams over at the auction

is what sort of profit are they going to be about to craft?

Well, it's lovely to be back in Stamford at Batemans auctioneers

with our auctioneer of the day, David Palmer. Hello, David.

-Good morning.

-Now let's run through the Red team's lots.

First up is this very ordinary country made chair.

It's not unpleasant.

I like the little wiggly slats at the back but it's been nailed up

and messed about with. Sometimes they go well, sometimes they don't.

-What's your estimate?

-We've estimated it at 30-50.

-Have you?

Well your challenge is to get more than £8 for it

-because that's all our team paid.

-I'll do my best.

Anyway, the next item are the pink-bordered porcelain plates.

They're nice studies of cattle just standing around.

If they were paintings they would make good money.

Well, in a way it is a painting, isn't it,

because they're enamelled rather than transfer printed.

-OK, how much?

-40-60.

-Brilliant man.

£40 is what our team paid so they stand a small chance there.

Talking of small chances, how do you rate our rather small pincushions?

Well, we quite like those.

It's an area that ladies like to collect - pins, hat pins, that sort of thing.

Plenty of marks on them, imported marks, made on the continent.

-What's your estimate?

-£120-£180.

-£200 a pair, they paid.

-Too much.

-We need boots for that money.

-Wellington boots.

-Big ones.

-Yeah.

Anyway, on the basis that the miniature pincushions don't do so terribly well,

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

-Helen and Sally, how are you, darlings?

-Really well, thank you.

-I bet you're wondering what Charles spent your £52 on, aren't you?

-Yes.

-Well, we all are, frankly. Charles, show us your worst.

-Wow!

-Cheers.

-I like it.

-Do you like it?

-Really, I love it.

What we've got here is a wine glass.

It's continental, it's soda glass.

It's probably circa 1770, 1790

and it would have toasted the French Revolution maybe.

-It really is hands-on history.

-It's got a tiny chip!

-It's part of its pedigree, in my opinion.

-Its charm.

-Absolutely.

And how much? It cost me 50 and I think it ought to make between £60 and £90.

-Wow.

-On a good day, it could even hit three figures.

-Woo!

-There we are.

-Sally, do you like it, darling?

-I like it very much.

-It's just elegant, that's what I like about it.

-Yes, like Charles.

Don't say that, don't say that.

You've had your predictions as to how much profit he thinks it might make.

You don't pick it now, you pick it later if you want to,

but for the audience at home, let's find out what the auctioneer

thinks about Charles's old glass.

Well, David, there you go for a nice little cordial.

I like these sort of things.

This one has a few defects, I'm afraid,

but that was in the blowing of it.

Sort of 1760, 1770s.

-Think of the history that's seen.

-Yes. So how much?

-60-80, I feel.

Well Carlos Hanson will be so pleased about that because he only paid £50.

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

First up is the little tripod table. How rough do they get, these?

Well, this is as rough as you can get.

I mean, a painted top that's been painted by, shall we say, an amateur.

And then an amateur owner has found a pot of black paint

-and painted the rest of the table.

-Hmm.

I suppose an improvement at the time, to make it

into an aesthetic piece of furniture when it was clearly out of fashion?

-It's returned to being out of fashion.

-Yes, how much?

-We still have hopes for it, 30-50.

-£25 they paid.

-Oh, well.

I tell you, Bateman's is the place to come to get a good estimate.

OK, moving on in that happy vein, what about the pineapple jug,

which is trying to be majolica, isn't it?

It's trying and failing, I believe.

Who do you believe might have made it?

-Anyone in the Far East.

-Oh, Chinese type reproduction.

-Quite possibly.

Well, what's your estimate on that?

-We still feel we might get £20-£30 for it.

-Well, that's marvellous.

-It is a pineapple.

-Well, we only paid £9.

-Oh, that's good.

-Good.

Well, moving on, we're going to the Cauldon porcelain tea set.

It's awful, isn't it?

If you got a granny you don't like, this is what you buy her.

-Look at that horrible brown.

-The brown isn't brilliant.

-It's worth something, isn't it?

-It is.

-What's your estimate?

We're estimating £20-£40.

Well, we're very pleased with that, our team only paid £30,

so we're right in the middle of your estimate.

Like I say, come to Bateman's for decent estimates.

At these estimates, our team won't need their bonus buy,

but let's go have a look at it anyway.

OK, Jules, Debs, this is your moment.

-You only spent a miserable £64, I can't believe it.

-Dreadful.

£236 goes to JP. JP, what did you do?

Well, we've spent a lot of time agonising over exactly what

you wanted for your tea trolley,

-and your final decision was made on a tea service.

-Yes.

-And you left aside the other one.

-The other one.

-That's the one we were going to buy. No.

-Oh, good Lord.

Basically you bought a tea service I think it was for six people,

and I don't think that's a big enough tea party,

so what we've got here is that lovely Shelley service.

-And how many pieces, that's for 12 people?

-It's complete for 12 people.

-OK, can I..?

-Yes, have a sip, go on, dive in.

-Have the pinky out, you got to have the pinky out. There we go.

-Lovely.

Nice. So, what sort of price did you pay for this lovely tea set?

-I paid £200 for it.

-It's a lot of money.

For somebody who bought all three items for £64,

-it is a lot of money, isn't it?

-Yes.

I don't know. I'm not sure and it's a lot of money. So I'm not sure.

For the audience at home, let's find out what the auctioneer

thinks about JP's tea set.

Well, David, here's a challenge for you, your old favourite,

another tea set, this time by Messieurs Shelley.

Well, it's the right name, isn't it?

And very sort of '30s, but not going to set the world on fire, I'm afraid.

OK, how much will they go to, do you think, to buy it?

We're hoping they will go to £70-£100 to buy it.

-Jonathan's paid £200 for it.

-Has he? Crikey.

-Are you feeling in good voice?

-I am, yes, thank you.

Well, all I can say is, standby.

700 I've got. 720 for either of you.

-Kids, how we feeling? All right?

-Yes, OK, very excited.

-Now, are you confident, that's what I want to know?

-Absolutely...not.

-I am!

-Are you?

-Yeah, definitely.

First up, you've got that cheap chair,

-paid £8 for that. He's put 30-50 on that.

-Brilliant.

I mean, how he put that? I'm amazed he put such a big estimate on that.

-Yes, but it's sweet.

-Here it comes.

-Is it coming up?

Lot 60 is the George III oak and elm country chair

with the wiggly pierced spikes..

Let's start straight in at £30. 30 quid for the chair?

It's proper antique, it's really old. 30 quid?

20? Ten? Ten. 12. 15. 18.

20. 22.

-He's good.

-At 22, have a go, sir. At 22. At £22. Sold then, at 22.

Nobody else? You're done and finished at 22 in the doorway.

-Yes!

-Well, that's great, that's plus £14, girls.

-That's a very nice start.

-Good start.

-Here come the plates.

Painted on the Tyrrell, and cattle on the lull. £40, the pair of plates.

-That's only 20 quid a plate. 40 quid, the pair. £20.

-Hand-painted?

-A tenner?

-Oh, a crazy situation. £10.

A fiver a plate, what's wrong with cows?

Put them in the dishwasher, you'll get rid of the pictures!

£10, the pair of plates.

-A fiver for a pair of plates.

-Oh, no.

-Are you guys in the right place?

Five. Six. The net at six. Go seven. Oh, go on, please. Six, I sell here.

The bid is at six on the net, at £6. Seven.

Eight. With the net at eight. I have a bid on the net at eight.

At £8. Here at nine. Internet at nine. Keep going then.

At £9 now, I sell on the net at nine. Is that it?

-Oh, there we go.

-Tim, they were nice plates, weren't they?

-Minus...

-They were. -31 on that, I can't believe that.

-That's how it goes.

-Now the shoes.

-The shoes.

-This is vital.

-These are really rather nice.

Let's start at £100, straight in. 100 I'm bid. I'll take ten. 110. 120.

130. Down here at £130 now.

Here then, at 130. 140. 150. 160.

At £160. Anyone else? At £160. Net, where are you now?

At £160, and it goes then at 160.

-Ooh!

-That let you down, anyway, -40 on there, which is -57.

-I'm sorry team.

-No, it was good.

-Listen, Charles,

don't crack yourself up about it, they were nice shoes,

and today was not the day for them.

What are we going to do about Charles' glass?

I think, we go through it. Yeah, we go for it.

-It's a great glass, isn't it?

-It's lovely.

-Let's have a look at it.

A George III wineglass.

-Circa 1820.

-A bit earlier, maybe!

-What did I say? Oh, I meant 1780!

-Yay!

-It's older than it looks! It's really rather nice.

Interest in this, we go straight in at 65, 75, 80. With me at £80 now.

And five if you like. Goes at 85, 90. Five. At 95, make it the hundred.

100. At £100 now.

In front, at £100 now. Is that it, at £100? It's a proper old thing.

-We want another couple of bids.

-We do, too. One for the road.

-At £100.

-No-one else?

-Online is out.

-Well done.

-Thank you guys.

-Yes.

-Get in, get in.

-£100 is plus 50. Well, well done Charles.

-Thank you, Tim.

That's a smashing job, isn't it?

£50 profit on the bonus buy, Charles,

you cannot ask for more than that.

That clawed you back, and overall, you're only minus £7.

-Ahh, well done.

-That's really good.

After the calamity of the plates, that's really good.

-That's good, isn't it?

-Yeah, that's excellent.

And, you know, minus £7 could be a winner.

Could be a winning score.

130, 140, 150.

-So, Jules, Debs, do you know how the Reds got on?

-Not got a clue, Tim.

Good, that's the way we like it.

You've got that black Victorian table,

-which I've been very rude about.

-It's beautiful. Stunning.

£25, you've paid.

I thought he was going to say £5-£10. He's put £30-50 on.

I am not surprised, it's lovely.

Good, that's your taste, and I laud it, because if you're right,

and you make a profit on it, and you've done terribly well.

The Victorian ebonised tripod occasional table.

The top painted with roses, interesting old carved base.

-Soon to come in fashion again. 30 quid for it.

-Oh, really.

-£30.

£10. It's a nice piece. A fiver. Five. Six. Seven. Eight.

Eight, come on. At eight, it against you. Nine.

At nine, with the internet at ten.

I sell then at £10. You look as if you want to, you do. Go 12. 12.

Back now in the room at £12.

I sell here in the room, second row, all done at 12.

Bad luck, Jules, it's made all the children cry! Minus £13.

-I just don't know what to say.

-Move on.

-Shocked.

-Here's the majolica jug.

-Oh, that's beautiful.

-Yeah.

-£20 for it.

Nice jug there. Tenner for the jug. Fiver for the jug. Five. Six.

Seven. At seven now. Back in the room at seven. Eight. Net at eight. Nine.

-In the room at nine. Net, come on.

-Wiped its face!

-Nice with the cocktail cabinet, nice with milk in.

-You're in profit.

-Well done, Jonathan.

-Ten here. At ten. Try 12.

At ten, on the net at £10. I sell to the net at £10.

-Look, £10.

-12.

-At £12.

-Come on, internet.

-He is good.

-He's a good auctioneer.

-At 12, here in the room at £12. You've finished at 12.

-Yes!

Good for you. Plus £3.

You're still minus ten, but you're clawing it back.

Now, the Cauldon tea set.

With the band of spring flowers, not unattractive. 18 pieces in this.

-£5, the tea service. Five. Seven with the net.

-Amazing really.

-It's beautiful.

-Net at nine. Internet at. Ten. Internet at ten.

-12. At 12. I sell then on the net at £12. Nobody else in the room?

-Uh-oh.

-Look out.

-At 12. You're all out in front of me at 12. Finished at 12.

-Minus £18.

-Oh, no.

-Whoa, you all heard that!

We had minus ten before, that's minus 28 overall.

I think they'll need their bonus buy!

-I don't think we will!

-You don't know what it is yet!

Now, come on, girls, what are we doing about this bonus buy?

Overall, you're minus £28, right. It has not gone your way today.

Are you going to invest in the £200 tea set? You know you love it.

-We just daren't do it.

-We didn't like it at the time!

-It's not got enough colour.

-I'm not keen.

-OK, that's the decision.

Your score today girls is minus £28, right.

-That could be a winning score.

-It could be.

Don't talk to the Reds, but we're going to sell the bonus buy anyway.

You've rejected it, Jonathan paid £200.

Now at this situation we find ourselves in,

-I can tell you that the auctioneer's estimate is 70-100.

-Yes, OK.

-That's where he comes from.

-Oh, God!

In fact, we're going to see it sold, and here it comes.

A Shelley porcelain tea service,

decorated with trees and roadside flowers.

Very nice, the whole lot there. Start where you will.

Let's say, what, 50 quid. 50 I'm bit. 50. Five. 60. 65. 70. 75. 80. 85. 90.

95. 100. 110. 120. 130. 140.

150. 160. 170. 180.

-You clever old fruit, Jonathan.

-180 on my right. At 180. 190. 200.

-Yes, get in there! Thank you.

-I sell in the room at 200. 210.

-Yes, it's in profit.

-220. At 220, back in the room at 220.

-No, where are you? At 230.

-This is a battle of wills.

Room at 240. Still in the room at 240. At £240. Net, 250.

-260, room.

-Hey, JP!

-We could be in the money, Deb! It's too late now.

-At 270. £280 now.

-Oh, that is...

-Sorry, girls.

-Well done, Jonathan.

At 280. It's in the room at 280. 290. At 290.

290, I sell then. On the net at £290. Your last chance. You sure?

-At £290.

-I'm stunned. I really am.

-Yes. JP, put it there, boy.

Well done. He deserves a kiss, that's what he wants.

-Give him a kiss.

-Sorry. I know. I know, another one, there we go.

That is really cool, isn't it?

This is what they call a kind of rich justice, which is what is

so great about the auction.

Everybody has been sniffy about that tea set,

they said it's all too much money, and it's just made £290.

-Happy?

-Yes.

-Well done, JP.

-Well done.

-Perfect.

-Let's say £100 to start.

-Well, well, well, teams. Have we been chatting at all?

-No.

-No, not at all.

-Well, I have to say that hindsight is a fine thing.

However, without the blessings of hindsight,

today's runners-up are...

the Blues.

Very, very sadly the Blues are minus £28.

But with hindsight, if they'd backed their man,

they would have £62 of profit in their back pockets.

Back the expert, Jonathan, so sorry.

We've loved having you on the show, I hope you've enjoyed it.

We thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you so much.

But the winners today are going home

because they manage to lose only £7.

They, however, went with their expert he made a £50 profit,

-and that saved your bacon, didn't it?

-It did. Yes.

Because without Charles's bonus buy, you'd have been sunk.

-Yes.

-Did you have a good time, Hels?

-Absolutely.

-Was it good, Sal?

-Fantastic.

-Yeah, we've loved having you on the show.

-In fact, during us soon for some more bargain hunting. Yes?

-ALL: Yes!

I know you're sitting there thinking,

"I could have 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.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd