Hungerford 12 Bargain Hunt

It's lunchtime and if you're hungry for antiques and collectables, you're at the right show.

And in the right place because we are in Hungerford, after all.

Let's go bargain hunting!

Greedy guts.

This thriving Berkshire market town is renowned

for its antiques shops and collectors' centres.

In fact, it's known all over for them, but today it's a battleground for the Reds and Blues.

Here's a quick peek as to what's coming up.

The Reds sink to any level.

28.

-I think we love you.

-Spot on.

And just how far will the Blues go to get ahead?

-You'll have to promise too many things!

-I'm married. I've got to be careful.

Now let's meet the teams.

On our teams today we have married couple Jenny and Pete

and for the Blues, the mother and daughter combo from heaven, Pip and Ange. Hello, everyone.

-Hello.

-Very nice to see you. So how did you two meet?

-We went to teacher training college and were in the same biology class, attended the same lectures.

-Yes.

-And I think rather cheekily...

-Picked up a few tips?

Pete was quite taken by me as I climbed into the minibus and he caught sight of my knickers!

-Really? That's the trouble with the biology class.

-Yes, it is!

-Tell us about your teaching career.

-I started in infant school and then children with special needs,

so I've done quite a lot over the last 12 years with them.

-You're retired now, but what did you used to do?

-I was a teacher first, as we both were,

then I went into publishing and wrote every kid's nightmare - maths books for kids.

-How do you fill your time in now?

-Too many hobbies, not enough time.

I like to think I can point, but nobody likes the results!

-And how are you two going to get on today?

-I think we'll do well.

-Do you?

-Yeah.

-Going for quality?

-Just to relieve the expert just a little bit.

-Good.

To relieve the expert just a little bit. You are biology teachers after all!

I'll leave that with you. Moving on, gosh, this is going to be a scream.

-How are you two?

-Well, thank you.

-Pip, you're also interested in education.

-I'm on maternity leave - I just had a little boy, Leo.

-Congratulations.

-Thank you. But I'm a primary school teacher, which I love.

-What's the best bit about primary school teaching?

-Other than the kids, the science experiments

and the field trips. I love making it really fun and wacky.

-Are you keen on science?

-Yeah. I worked at the Natural History Museum so I love my science.

-Brilliant.

-It says here that you have a passion for Victorian art.

-I do. I have a PhD in Victorian art collecting.

-Gosh.

-I love it.

-You are a girl with many talents.

-I'm multi-faceted, Tim.

-Ange, it says you're retired, but you're not really.

-No.

-What did you used to do?

-I was a nurse.

-So now you're retired, you get up to all sorts.

-All sorts, one of which is I'm a buggy driver at the Vyne.

-You're a what?

-A buggy driver at the Vyne. I'll say it carefully!

-A buggy driver?

I drive the buggy, which takes five other passengers from the ticket office to the chapel of the Vyne

-which is about half a mile.

-For the National Trust.

-Yes.

-And that's exactly where we're going.

-Fantastic.

-Do you recommend it?

-Highly. It's a fabulous place.

-Might you be there to drive my buggy?

-I hope so! Imagine!

-Imagine!

-So how do you reckon you'll get on?

-I think we'll do very well!

-I think we'll have a ball.

-You're going to have a ball. And going to go for big profits?

-Well, we'll try to spend our money.

That's what I like to hear. Here's the £300. 300 smackers each.

You know the rules. Your experts await. And off you go! And very, very good luck.

Gosh, what gorgeous teams.

So who's aiding and abetting our teams today?

Cutting a dash for the Red team today is expert Charlie Ross.

And keeping the Blues focused is fellow expert Jonathan Pratt.

So £300 and an hour to shop. Let's get to it.

-What do you like?

-Wood, marquetry...

-You've got £300. What are you going to do with it?

-Spend it!

-Tim will love you for that.

-What do you like?

-A bit of silver, a bit of jewellery.

This is the antiques centre here. Let's start outside, shall we?

-All the things I love. Let's get to it! Come on.

-Right.

Peter, er, wrong way, old bean.

While the Blues have started looking outside, the Reds are hot off the mark with this one.

Have you seen a hip flask?

-I've meant to treat myself to a hip flask for a long time.

-You have to sell it! You can't treat yourself!

But I want to try one out first. That's a banker.

Why don't you wait until you've seen two or three? I've never seen a man make up his mind so quickly!

-Did he do that when he met you?

-Yeah, I think he did!

-Did he?

So from hip flasks to pub signs. It seems this show has the demon drink at its heart.

-It's quite quirky and interesting.

-It depends how much they want.

The key to everything, quite simply, is, "How much do you want?"

Of all of them, I think it's probably the smartest, isn't it?

-There's a lot more work in it. It's nice to have raised lettering.

-How much is it? 250.

-Ignore that!

It's £250, yeah.

But he's got a whole lot of them. He might be willing to do a deal.

One to think about maybe, Blues. £250 sounds pricey to me.

Meanwhile, the Reds have spotted some furniture.

-There was a table up here.

-A nest of tables. How old are they?

-I don't know.

-The twenties?

-Yeah, they're 1920s. Edwardian.

-That's mahogany. And round the edge...

-Oak veneering?

No, veneering is satinwood. How much would you expect to pay

-for a nest of three Edwardian tables?

-I'd buy those for 80 quid.

-I'd be with you.

-At 80 quid, they'd make a profit.

-Right.

-What do you think?

How much are they selling for?

-How much do they want?

-This is where the expert comes in.

They're asking £138.

-We don't have to buy them now.

-No.

-Log those in the back of the mind. And move on.

-It's a banker.

You've got two bankers already! Five minutes and we can go home.

Peter, you don't work in the City. We want buying, not banking.

Still looking outdoors, what have those eagle-eyed Blues spotted now?

It's got a nice bit of moss on it. If you want to buy something... It takes a long time to get that look.

-If you really like this...

-I love it.

-I'll try to find them.

-I think it's lovely.

-It's unusual. I'd want that in my garden.

-Me, too.

-This is one of the managers here.

-Nice to meet you.

-The ladies are interested in the bird bath.

The price... The price here...

£26.75. I know this lady. I'm sure she would do it for 20.

-Is there any way she could be more helpful?

-17 would be fantastic. Would you?

-Thank you.

Let's hope a big bird will make a big profit.

-Ah, Don.

-I've managed to contact her and she'll do it for 15.

Is that all right?

You get a kiss. Give the man a kiss and he'll go down to a tenner now!

So that's the first and rather weighty item bagged for the Blues. Well done, girls.

-Superb. £15.

-Excellent.

-One item bought. We can relax a bit.

-And spend some money!

-Exactly.

£15, crikey. Let's go this way.

-Isn't that fun?

-For fifteen quid.

-Ten!

-Yes!

-Eight!

-Six.

-He's learning.

-We have an hour. Cool it.

-Yes.

-Don't get too excited.

-I'll calm down.

-Calm down.

-I'm calming down now.

-Calm down, dear. That's right.

Now inside, the Blues home in on some silver.

You want to be able to display it, to use it.

No one puts a cream jug on the scales for the metal value.

OK. On the two of those together, what would be the lowest?

-To buy two items like that and then the game's over would be...

-But they're beautiful. Stunning.

-I think we'll come back.

-Do you?

-Yes. There's lots we haven't seen.

-We need to move faster!

-Your mum is desperate to spend the cash!

And it seems the Reds have a similar interest in shiny things.

-What about the little bottles?

-I like those. That tall one, for £22, that's a hallmarked silver top.

It's phenomenal value. That's over 100 years old.

I tell you what, if you could buy that tall one for, for example, a tenner or so,

you'd be guaranteed a profit, I'd say.

-Shall we ask?

-Yes.

-We'll call Adrian over. Adrian?

-May we look?

-Of course you can.

-Thank you, sir.

-There you go.

Right. Things to look for - damage to the glass, good crisp hallmark on the silver

and to see

whether the thread is good. The thread feels good to me.

-It looks all right.

-OK. Oh, look, it's got the stopper!

Now that surprises me. I can't get that off, but don't worry about it.

-Yeah, I think so.

-I like that.

-What do you mean "I think so"?! We haven't talked price yet!

-I hate to agree with you, Jen, but I like that.

-"I hate to agree with you, Jen"!

I'll tell you what I think that'll make at auction. I think it will make between £15 and £20

at auction. It would be insulting to try that at a tenner?

-I'll do my best.

-We do love it.

-I would like to go to 15.

-Sssh!

-Oh, what sort of negotiator...?!

-Oh, no!

I hope they're not broken, Charlie. You need those to spot a bargain.

"Well, 15..."

-Start again.

-Next time I'll stop!

I don't think Peter really gets the hang of this bargain hunting lark.

Meanwhile, Jonathan is doing his best to put Ange off the shiny stuff.

-You'll have to promise too many things.

-I'm married! I have to be careful.

-On the other hand, I might!

If you want to go ahead, it will be £10, not the 15.

He's concerned about the stopper.

Somebody's going to buy that visually for more than £10 even if they can't dislodge that top.

-I think we risk it.

-At £10, that's just super.

-We'll have it.

-Thank you very much.

-Very generous of the owner. Thank you.

So that's the first item bought by the Reds. Well done, teams.

It's one all at 20 minutes in.

There's something drawing the Blues back to the silver and I don't think it's Jonathan.

-For both? Look, that says 165.

-And that says 145.

They might do the two for... We've only spent £15.

145, 165. That's 310.

-Do you not think they're beautiful?

-Are you in it to win it?

-We are.

-There's an awful lot more silver here.

-I think we look.

-That's what I needed to say.

-I heard the message.

-I don't think that's the last we've seen of that.

Now what have the Reds spotted?

-I quite like that little jade. I don't think it's got any age.

-No.

-But...it's jade.

-If we could get it for 30 quid?

Yeah. Shall we give it a try?

Ah! Here comes that lovely man. We've been looking at a bit of jade.

-Please.

-Thank you.

That's a Dog of Fo and it's got a terrifying face.

You're the mineral man.

It's got the weight, actually. It's got a bit of character.

At 20 quid, I'm right behind you.

-I would like to offer you...

-Oh, no, Pete's at it again!

-..£20.

-I'll ring and try to get the best price.

-Thank you very much. Lovely.

Whilst the Reds wait on a price for the jade, Ange is so keen on the silver, she's asked for prices.

-You might need to step in, Jonathan.

-Jonathan, we might need your help.

Pip, OK, love, of the two you can choose,

but I love that. Love it.

-Either one.

-That's 145. OK. I'll just get the number for those.

-Would they think of 125? Would she think of that?

-(100.)

That would be fabulous, yeah.

125? Is that for both?

-No!

-No, it wasn't.

Well, I'm looking forward to this haggle. You need to get this for a snip to make any profit.

Right, let's see how the Reds' negotiations are going.

Can you accept 20 for it? ..That was a quick "no"!

-I'll pass you over to the expert.

-If you don't ask, you don't get!

-It's the very naughty Charlie Ross here.

-That's true.

How are you?

-Smooth.

-You were wonderful until I phoned with my rude offer!

-Probably.

-I'm on my knees, if you could see me, begging.

-No, you're not!

-To see if you could do an old man a whopping favour.

-That's better.

Is 20 really out of the question?

28?

I think we love you.

-Spot on.

-I'm allowed to say that on the telephone.

That's really kind. I'll get off my knees now. Thank you very much.

-Thank you!

-Bye-bye.

-Wow.

-Excellent.

-It was worth going on your knees.

-Yes, it was.

-£28. Give us a kiss.

-Thank you.

And with a little ear and knee bending from Charlie, that's purchase number two for the Reds.

Well done. Don't forget, teams, the clock's ticking away. Only 20 minutes' shopping time left.

We've got a strategy, though. We might go back to the pub signs and you like some silver.

-A lovely piece of silver...

-Yes, we know you like the silver.

-Pip's going to buy a pub sign!

-It'll be fine.

-And I love it.

-I think we might make some profit on the silver-topped...

-Your scent bottle. The eau de cologne bottle.

The jade is very much up in the air.

I like it, but whether anybody else will.

-Jonathan's brilliant.

-He's very boring.

No, he's lovely.

We've got a couple of bits that we both like. That's a miracle.

-I'm panicking. Aren't you?

-No, not at all.

-Well, we should be.

-We've got the pub sign and that silver.

-We'll get them on the phone.

The only problem might be the price, Ange. Let's see what the lovely Liz can do for you.

A deal for the two? We'd like an individual price and for the two.

So the best you can do is £270 for the pair at the moment?

And 135 for the mug.

-That's the best she can do.

-You really love it.

-I think if she could go to 120, we'd be so grateful. Absolutely not?

-125 would be fabulous.

Oh, dear. These prices are too hot for JP.

If she could go to 129 for goodwill.

129, OK.

We'll do that. OK, bye-bye. ..Have you actually looked at it?

-You haven't even looked at it?!

-No!

-Shall we get it out?

-It's very beautiful.

It's a London hallmark. E...E...E...which is 1900.

-Nice design. I hope that's...

-129.

-Very well done.

Now we'll see your pub signs.

Another purchase for the Blues. Now it's two-all, but with Peter's bankers in mind,

-the Reds head back to check out the nest of tables for a second time.

-If I saw that in a sale,

on its own, I would expect it to make £30. I wouldn't expect it to make any less.

I would also expect that to make £30 and that... So that's £90.

-It is very pretty, isn't it?

-They're great things.

-I like all the little...

-Are we up for a gamble?

-Well, yes.

-What the heck!

-Come on.

-Stay there. I'll go and get him.

With only 10 minutes to go, the Reds throw caution to the wind,

whilst our Blues head back outside for last orders.

He's on the phone, hopefully, to sort out a deal on one or two.

-Do you know why they have these images on the pub signs?

-No idea.

-Have a guess.

-No, I don't know.

You don't know? Well, it's the illiterate.

They couldn't read, but they'd see the lion or the parrot and cup.

-And they'd know which pub they were in.

-Absolutely, yeah.

-ANGE SLURS

-Have you been on the pop, Ange?!

-Right. Let's see how the Reds are faring.

-I've done a rather naughty tickle.

-At 80.

-No!

-It would be nice to spend some money.

-There's the hip flask.

The hip flask!

I've spoken to Paul. The Horse and Groom one, which is his nicest and most expensive,

-he's got 250 on it.

-We can't do that.

You can't do that. I told him you've got £155 left, effectively, to spend.

He said that he will do it for £155.

-Ooh, yes. But...

-That leaves me £1.

Yes!

-Oh, yes, that's lovely.

-Oh, no. Can't we leave Jonathan at least £2?

-Let's go round and look at it. The Horse and Groom?

-Are you all right with £1?

-Oh, I'm happy.

Forget about Jonathan. Liz is being run ragged by our teams.

-Lovely Liz. What is the verdict?

-I tried very hard. She will take 90.

-£90?

-£90 for the tables.

-You can't say no.

-No. ..I just said no!

-Liz, thank you. Smashing. Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Thank you, Liz. That's a super bit of work. Well done.

Congratulations, Reds. That's all three items bought.

Now are the Blues going to spend big and leave Jonathan with just £1?

-That's a very fair deal.

-And it's nice to have the letters proud.

-You've got extra work there.

-And the hanging equipment's there?

-Yes. Are you going with that?

-Yes.

-Would you like us to find you something for £1?

-Very generous!

I think I've got to do it, but I could just knock off now.

So the Blues raised the bar and buy their last item in the nick of closing time.

Make mine a pint. ..Wow. Time's up. Let's check out what the Red team bought.

First off, they picked up an Edwardian cut-glass toiletry bottle for £10.

£28 was spent on a small, carved figure of a dog. Woof!

And for a table-topping £90 their last item was a nest of three Edwardian occasional tables.

OK, team, how was it for you?

-Excellent!

-Was it? You enjoyed it, did you?

-Yes, I did.

-Which is your favourite piece?

-I like the jade dog/dragon carved thing.

-Yeah? Lovely.

That's accurate(!)

-And how much did you spend?

-Oh, about 128-ish.

-128-ish. I'd like 172 of leftover lolly, then, please.

-OK.

-You don't like doing this.

-No. There's the folders.

-Yes.

-One, two.

-OK, jolly good.

-Just enough for parking!

-They've not got chocolate inside them.

-No.

-Over to you then, Charlie.

Good luck, team. Go and have a cup of tea. Meanwhile, we'll check out what the Blue Team bought.

Off to a flying start, they spent £15 on a stone bird bath.

In the name of bargain hunting,

this silver christening cup was bought for £129.

And finally, they invested £155 of their budget

in this Horse & Groom pub sign.

Dream on!

-Amazingly well done.

-Aren't they amazing? These two, I'm sorry, these three, aren't they amazing?

-We are.

-Rumour has it that you spent £299.

-It's true.

It's true. Who's got the pound then?

-I have.

-Have you? Just like that.

-In my paw.

-How can I possibly bear to pass this on?

Jonathan, you've got a great deal of difficulty to find a bonus buy,

but you're not going to need your bonus buy

because you spent so magnificently! I'm so proud of you girls.

-Which is your favourite?

-I love the bird bath.

-Is that going to bring the biggest profit?

-It's a possibility.

-It's a possibility.

-That's not good, is it?

-You fancy you're going to take a bit of a bath here, you two?

-Possibly.

-Come on!

-You have to be strong. You have to look forward to your bonus buy for £1, which we'll all do.

Very good luck all round. Meanwhile, we're heading off to Hampshire where hurricanes hardly ever happen.

This magnificent house, the Vyne, dates back to Tudor times.

Much of the building has changed architecturally over the years

and it now houses a wonderful assortment of treasures that reflect its various previous owners.

The flamboyant John Chute inherited the Vyne in the 18th century.

He was an architect and art connoisseur

and also a friend of Horace Walpole,

son of Britain's first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole.

I think you would be excused were you to walk past 16 of these plates

and not think very much of them,

but if you look at the decoration, it begins to get a bit special.

The view that you see is the view that Canaletto painted

of the Doge's Palace across the Grand Canal.

And when Chute visited Venice on his Grand Tour,

he ordered, alongside Horace Walpole and his friend Lord Lincoln,

a set of 24 of these plates,

of which 16 survive.

If I'm very careful, I'll pick 'em up and we'll have a little look underneath.

Firstly, you note how incredibly white they are.

Secondly, you note how incredibly thin they are,

just like bits of porcelain.

Except they're not made of porcelain, they're made of glass.

That ground-down mark on the back is the pontil mark.

And these plates came from the island of Murano

and they're called "milk glass".

Latticino glass. Interesting, isn't it?

And you just can't believe that on the same Grand Tour trip,

our John Chute bought, in addition to his plain white plates, this -

the most elaborate of Italian works of art.

This thing would have had no practical purpose whatsoever.

It was simply made to impress.

"Pietra dura" or "hard stones" is the form of decoration.

The pietra dura used on this table cabinet

is all of a slightly "alto relievo" form.

That means, if you were to rub your finger over it, there are bits of it that stand proud.

The fruits and flowers are all stylised,

but each one is a different, variegated, semi-precious stone

that has to be cut, shaped and formed in relief,

and then put together like an immensely complicated jigsaw puzzle.

In short, the unified design of this thing,

together with its complexity and very high quality, make this extremely special.

This has to be the most exuberant example

of an 18th century, Italian work of art.

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

are we about to make an exuberant profit?

We've winged it from Hungerford to West London, Chiswick, to be precise,

to Chiswick Auction Rooms where, Keane by name and "keen" by nature, Tom Keane is here to greet us.

-Hello, Tom.

-Hello, Tim.

-It looks a bit sparse, our table-top today

because we've got some bigger lumps.

Anyway, for Jenny and Peter, first of all, the silver-topped toiletry bottle.

-It's not a bad little lot. Silver top, £20 or £30.

-They paid £10.

-A profit.

-Next is the Dog of Fo.

-Mm-hm.

I have seen better carved examples, I have to say.

-And older.

-And older.

-But it isn't jade, though, is it?

-No, it's jadeite.

-Jadeite.

-OK.

-Made for the tourist market.

-What's it worth, Tom?

-£20 or £30. It's not going to do more than that.

They paid 28, so it's pretty well spot-on.

Now, lastly, their nest of three Edwardian, satinwood-banded tables.

The top of this one is looking rather better than it looked when they bought it in the fair.

-What's been going on here, Tom?

-It looked a bit tired.

I asked my French polisher to give that a lick-over. It took hi ten minutes and it looks much better

-Isn't that lovely? What's your estimate on the Edwardian tables?

-£50 to £80.

-They paid 90.

But you never know cos these things do crack on.

They're still useful. Had they been bit earlier, they'd be £400 or £500.

Edwardian tables still sell, but let's keep them safe - £50 to £80.

It'll all hang on those tables as to whether they make a profit or not.

They may need their bonus buy, so let's go and have a look at it.

What has Charles spent £172 on?

OK, Rossy, show us your wares!

What did you keep looking at? Everywhere we went, you said, "I'd like one of those." I said, "No."

-A hip flask.

-In one!

LAUGHTER

-You beauty!

-It is the best hip flask that was there

because most of the others were half-covered in leather

and this is solid silver.

It's large. You'd get half a bottle in there.

It's got some sort of initials, I think, no more than that, but I don't think that matters too much.

-It's great.

-But it weren't cheap.

-How much?

-They were asking £250 for it.

Bearing in mind I only had 172...

-Did you spend it all?

-I spent 160 on it.

-Brilliant.

-Brilliant!

It stands a chance of making its money back?

It all depends, doesn't it, chaps, on how much you need the boost at that moment.

Hang on in there. Right now let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Charles's flask.

There we go, Tom.

-Always popular, these hip flasks.

-Yeah, it's a nice one.

-Nice engraved initials at the front of it.

-Yeah, plenty of silver in that, meaty.

Birmingham-made as well. Bit of age to it. 1910, 1920, I should think.

I like it. I put a mean 80 to 150 on it and I expect it to make the best part of 110, 120,

-but 80 to 150 to draw them in and see where it winds up.

-Lovely.

Charlie Ross is trying to persuade them that £160

is cheap enough to make a profit, which it probably isn't, is it?

-We'll find out later.

-They may not g with it. We'll sell it anyway,

but whether they take it or not, that's the exciting bit.

That's it for the Reds. Now for the Blues.

Their first item is the bird bath in a rather nice, mossy concrete look.

-It's been aged up, I think.

-Is it worth anything though?

We've described it as a gate post finial and a bird bath, just to put a bit more imagination into it,

-and hopefully, it will make £40 or £60.

-There we go.

-Ten points for trying, Tom.

-God loves a trier.

-£15 paid. There's a good chance for that. Excellent.

Then we've got our little tacker here, the silver christening mug. Nice little thing.

I like it. Good size. Nice definition in the casting.

I suppose they paid more, but I'm estimating that at £60 to £100.

They paid £129 which is a huge amount, isn't it?

In the next few years these will go up in price a lot.

A lot of silver's getting scrapped and the item must become more valuable.

That's a good theory. Unfortunately, it may not be in time for our lot today.

And their last item, which is ginormous, is the Whitbread sign.

I mean, what is it, 1950s?

'50s, '60s, that sort of Whitbread sign? But it's cast aluminium, so it must have been expensive to make.

-Yeah.

-And it's quite nice.

I don't think it's stylish enough for the Horse & Groom

-to be really that valuable.

-No.

I prefer the old painted ones, but cast aluminium must be worth £80 to £120.

£80 to £120 is your estimate. £155 they paid.

So there's two big dark holes under these poor old Blues.

They may need their bonus buy, so let's go and have a look at it.

Now, Pippa and Ange, you naughty couple, £299 spent.

-Yes.

-£1 over to JP.

This is the expert's nightmare. How did you get on, JP, with your pound?

I revel in a challenge like that. I quite enjoyed it, I must say.

-Wow!

-Oh!

-Yes, you see?

-That's a pound's worth?

-That's a pound's worth.

-It was in the bargain bucket in the corner and he said, "You can have that for a pound."

-It's lovely.

It looks impressive,

yet the quality of manufacture is of a less, let's say, fine finish.

-You could put a tea light in there.

-You could. Very innovative.

-Just revel in the quality...

-For a pound.

-You've done very well.

-You could put a candle in there.

-You could do, seriously.

-You could put a tall altar-type one in there and it would be rather pretty.

-Pippa, don't get it stuck.

-The light would be dispersed from the glass.

-Glistening romantically across the table

as you gaze into the eyes of your beloved. What would you pay for that, Pippa? £10?

-Easily 75 quid.

-I beg your pardon?

Maybe a bit less than that.

-But that would be good if someone did.

-It certainly would be good.

-Interesting, isn't it, and good fun?

-I love it.

Let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about JP's vase.

Right, then, Tom, something for your stick of celery. Quite a big old stick of celery, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Is it a flower vase?

-It is a flower vase, but they used to call them celery vases to...

-Make them worth a bit more.

-That's right.

-The metalwork on this is terrible.

-Terrible.

-Very '50s, isn't it?

-Yes.

Produced very cheaply. It's got a cheap estimate.

Had it been a good one, it would be £150, £250. This is worth £20 to £40

-As much as that?

-Yeah.

-On a good day with the wind up its tail?

-Yes.

-To a celery fanatic?

-What did they pay?

-A pound.

-They're going to get a profit.

-I love it.

Thank you very much, Tom. See you later. Smashing.

-Jenny, Peter, how are you feeling, kids? Excited?

-Yes.

-Yes?

-Yes.

-I love that. And why not?

-It's the first time we've been to an auction.

-You've never been to an auction before?

-No.

-Not ever?

-No.

-Not ever.

-What have you been doing with your lives?

-We've been too afraid.

-There's nothing to be afraid of.

Now, your first item up is the toilet bottle and here it comes.

392A now,

this early 20th century, silver-topped scent bottle.

£20 for it? Worth more. £20 for it?

£10 for it? 10 I'm bid. At 10.

Do you want 12? 12?

12. 14? 14. 16?

-16. 18.

-A profit!

-20? 20.

22? We're at £20. At £20. Give me 22 for it?

At £20. £20 and going. Disappointing I know, but £20 and sold.

-Good girl! £20 is plus £10. That is so cool.

-Doubled its money.

-Can you do the same with the Dog of Fo?

-I think so.

Number 393A now, the jadeite temple lion.

-Jadeite?

-£10 for it? 10 I'm bid.

At 10. Give me 12? At £10. Your bid at 10.

-Come on!

-12? 12. 15?

15. 18? All done at £15?

Do you want 16 over there? The bid's there at £15.

18, whoopee! 20? 20. 22?

-On the internet, it comes from mainland China.

-At £20. Once at £20.

-Twice at £20...

-Come on, Beijing!

All done at £20 and going... That's it for this one - £20.

So you're minus £8 on that and overall, plus 2. Now, the tables.

This is three Edwardian, Sheraton Revival nesting tables.

Number 394A. There's the three tables, Edwardian ones, mahogany.

£50? £50? £40?

-£40?

-Come on!

-£40? £40?

£30? There's a hundred quid's worth here. £30?

£30? £20?

Cor blimey, two people bid at the same time! 20. 22?

22. 25?

25. 28? 28. 30? 30. 32?

32. 35? 35.

38. 40?

How can you say no at that money? At £38. Give me 40? At £38.

At £38. I'm regretting to sell them at £38, but I've got to.

They've got no reserve. At £38, at a third of the price...

£38 is two shy of 40 which is 50 shy of 90.

Overall, you're minus 50. What are you going to do about the hip flask?

-Are you going to go with it or not?

-Yes.

-You're going to go with it.

-Death or glory.

-Death or glory.

You're going to go with the bonus buy. Very good.

Now you've made that decision, I can reveal that the auctioneer's estimate is 80 to 150.

You've just taken it at 160, so there is a black hole there too, but we could be wrong.

Let's be optimistic. Here it comes.

Solid silver. £100 for it?

-£50 for it?

-Oh, Lord!

-Thank you, I'm bid £50. 55. 60.

65. 70. 75.

80. 85. 90.

95. 100, where I started.

105. 105.

110? 110. 115?

115. 120? At 115.

I'll take 120. At 120. New bidder at 125.

130? 130. 135? 135. 140.

145. 150.

-155. 160?

-Yes!

-At 155.

-Oh, no.

-160, back in. 165.

170. 170, bid at 170. 175?

Bid's here at £170. 175? 170.

All done at 170. Going first, last and third time...

-Well done!

-£170 is plus £10,

which reduces your losses to only minus 40.

-Wonderful.

-Perfect. Which could be a winning score, so don't say a word to the Blues.

-We won't.

-No.

-This is exciting, isn't it?

-Thrilling.

-Exciting.

-No?

-Thrilling.

Angie, seriously, you're pretty up there with this, aren't you?

-If I got any more excited, I'd be a threat to the environment.

-Don't say that!

-There's a thought.

-I am very excited.

-I've never heard that expression.

Anyway, lovely. You spent £299, magnificent. We got the excitement of the £1 bonus buy,

but first, it'll be the bird bath.

£50 for it? £50 for it? £30 for it?

£20 for it? £10 for it?

Your bid at 10. At £10. Give me 12? At £10. Give me 12? At £10.

At £10, bid at 10, your bid at £10.

12 bid, thank you. 15? 15. 18?

18. 20? At £18.

-Where do you buy your bird bath?

-That's fantastic.

-Not in here!

18, bid at 18. Give me 20? 18.

At £18, all done at 18...

-That is good news. £18 is plus 3.

-Fabulous.

-How does it feel, Angie?

Rock the birds, that's lovely!

Right, here we go then - christening cup.

Hallmarked silver christening mug.

-Start me at £50 for it?

-Uh-oh!

Thank you. I'm bid £50. I'll take 55

60. 5. 70.

5. 80.

85 over there. 90. 95 now? 95.

-100?

-We're getting close.

-The bid's at 95. Give me 100 for it?

At £95. Who else wants it? At 95.

Once for 95, twice for 95, the third and last shout...

It's £95. Bad luck. That's 29 plus 5 is 34.

Minus 34. Look out, here comes the Horse & Groom!

Number 415A, the Horse & Groom cast metal, double-sided pub sign.

-One, two, three, four bids.

-Four bids!

120, 130, 140 and 150 bid.

I'll take 160 in the room? 160. 170. 180.

Your bid at 180. At the back at 180. Is that 190?

At 180. I'll take 190? Who else wants it? At 180.

-Go on!

-Keep going!

-At the back at 180.

180. At 180. Are we all done at 180? Who else wants it?

All done? Commission bids are all out. It's in the room.

Oh, yes, £180. Good man!

£25 up on that. You were minus 31, which means you're only minus 6 now.

This is what we like. Now, it's down to the bonus buy.

I mean, you give a man a pound, right?

He takes a £1 note off of you and what is he going to do with it?

-Are you going to go with it?

-Of course.

-It's a no-brainer.

-Absolutely.

-But will it bring £6-plus profit?

If it will, you could be in the game here, girls.

-No pressure, JP. Here we go.

-Look at that!

-Looking magnificent.

-It's lovely.

A silver-plated, mounted celery vase

Quite a stylish lot. Quite large.

£10 for it? 10 I'm bid. At 10.

Give me 12? 12. 15? 15. 18? 18.

20. 22? 22. 25? 25.

28? 28. 30. 32?

At £30. Bid at £30. Give me 32? At £30. Give me 32 for it?

At £30. All done at £30, your last chance...

-It goes for £30. You've got it.

-Yes!

Well done. Well done.

£30! £30, plus £29.

I feel like kissing JP myself!

No, I couldn't do that. Not even for the television could I kiss him, but I feel like giving him a hug!

-£29 is fantastic.

-Fantastic.

Minus £6, you are plus £23.

-Like the phoenix rising from the ashes...

-Totally!

-..JP comes forward with a celery vase.

-So have you happy teams been chatting at all about the results?

-No.

-No?

-Wouldn't dream of it?

-No.

-We are poles apart, I have to say.

And the runners-up are the Reds.

-Oh, yes!

-Look at this.

-Yes!

-Joy from the Blues and the misery from the Reds!

-Well done!

You made a few profits, but not enough, I'm afraid.

That £10 for the toilet bottle seemed to set the scene, didn't it, but not enough.

£10 for the hip flask wasn't enough.

Your overall score is minus 40 which is sad, but nevertheless, you've had fun?

-We have.

-We've loved having you on the show.

But the successful Blues who are going home with £23

after an amazing finish.

I mean, to make a profit of £29 on a £1 purchase,

which is what JP did, was most exciting.

It kept us on the edge of our seats, JP, so thank you for that.

-Was it good fun?

-Fabulous.

-Well done, Ma. You loved it.

-Yeah.

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

-Yes!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd