Portobello/Alexandra Palace 28 Bargain Hunt

We've had a rally through the valley and now we're at the Ally Pally. Let's go bargain hunting!

Some people believe that an old woman who was evicted from this spot

when Ally Pally was built

put a curse on the place.

Well, there may be something in it because it has burnt down twice,

but for our teams today

with 600 stalls for them to work their way through,

we don't want anything going up in smoke.

Today, the Reds get carried away with the drama of it all.

-Oh, la la!

-That's better, Yvonne.

While the Blues keep their focus and weigh up the pros and cons.

It's almost a bit Marmite. It's "love or hate"...

I think I would tend to love it.

But who will win out in the end? Let's meet the teams.

Well, it's all about bosom buddies today.

For the Reds, we've got Carol and Yvonne, and for the Blues, we've got Andrew and Charles.

-Hello, everyone.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Lovely to see you.

This will be a bit of a performance day for you today, Carol. You're keen on am-drams?

Yes, definitely, we will put on a performance for you.

-Are you a drama queen?

-I wouldn't go that far, but...

-Oh, yes.

-Yes.

What do you and Yvonne get up to?

We met about seven years ago when we both auditioned for High Society, the musical.

-Oh, yes.

-And we both got the part as singing waitresses.

-They're the ones with those little pinnies on?

-They were indeed.

-Yeah, lovely.

And we clicked straight away.

-Did you?

-Yes.

-Lovely.

-We've just done Calendar Girls.

With your kit on or off?

-Off.

-A bit of both.

-Was it?

-On and off.

Sounds a bit dodgy.

You also play an important role in the RAF.

-I do indeed.

-What's that?

I'm the accommodation assistant for an RAF base.

I sort out all the accommodation for our military personnel.

-I love my job. I love looking after my soldiers.

-Do you?

-I do indeed.

-I think they're jolly lucky to have you. What an interesting job!

Yvonne, it says that your day job involves mixing with the stars.

I look after children in TV, films, theatre,

-whenever they need somebody to look after the welfare of the children on stage.

-Right.

What sort of shows have you been involved with?

Lots. I've done lots of West End shows - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Oliver,

Les Miserables, Mary Poppins, Sound Of Music,

-so it's all those, plus films and TV programmes.

-That's a lot.

-It is a lot.

-You've also appeared on the stage.

-I have.

-Why was that?

Well, doing am-dram that I've done for years and years.

I was in a play one day and, after the show, I was approached by a guy in the audience.

-In fact, he was a magician looking for an assistant.

-Did he cut you in half?

Sometimes, if he got angry!

Well, you've been around the stage a bit too which is really good.

-Will you be any good at this bargain hunting lark?

-Of course. Definitely.

-And you'll win today?

-Oh, yes.

-Oh, yes.

This is fighting talk. I love it. OK, boys...

-Now, Andrew, you're friends.

-Yeah.

-How did you meet?

We met at a dinner party about five, six years ago through some mutual friends.

-We just seemed to hit it off and we're known as Bad Andrew and Bad Charles.

-Really?

Yes. We get up to a bit of mischief and play pranks on each other.

What sort of mischief? Give me an "e.g".

An "e.g"... Sometimes Charles hosts very good dinner parties at his flat,

then in the morning, he realises there's a great big "for sale" sign with his phone number in the window.

I see. Your day job doesn't make you particularly popular, does it, Andrew?

Not really, no. I'm an enforcement officer in the planning department for a local authority.

Anybody that's putting up something they shouldn't or building illegally

or putting an unlawful item in the garden or extending, I'm the guy that knocks on their door.

-Charles, it says here that you're a retired banker.

-Yes.

And like the girls, very fond of the old am-drams?

Yes, I used to do a lot of am-dram.

-What sort of roles did you play?

-Well, I played George Tesman in Hedda Gabler which was fun.

I didn't touch musicals.

-You're pretty multi-faceted?

-I like to think so.

Will you be looking out for anything in particular today?

-Quality.

-Quality, I think.

-You don't care what it is?

-No. If something catches the eye... Bit of the magpie. And we're going to win.

-Ooh!

-LAUGHTER

OK, here's your £300. There's a treat.

You know the rules, your experts await and off you go and very, very, very good luck!

How many times have we heard that? "We're going to win."

And our experts today, for the Reds, pulling all the right strings

and telling no lies, it's Jonathan Pratt.

And playing Dr "No"-It-All for the Blues, it's Mark Stacey.

Puss, puss, puss.

Now, what is our goal today?

To look for three quite nice, quality items at a reasonable price.

-What are you looking for?

-Anything to make loads of money.

-Are you up for the challenge?

-Yes.

-Postcards, I'm going to look for postcards.

-No, postcards are boring.

Oh, no, I've got my work cut out!

Yes, I sense trouble with you girls.

We have to keep tabs on her because she'll be off like a little ferret.

I hope she doesn't get caught up in your trouser leg, Jonathan.

-I like that.

-It's a nice gavel.

-Being an auctioneer... It's got a good feel, that.

Well, you know your gavels, don't you, Mark?

Maker?

It's quite pretty. It's late 19th century. It's pottery made up in Staffordshire.

-It's Copeland Spode or Spode Garrett?

-Yeah.

-One of those, anyway.

-And the condition is very good.

-Yeah, it is.

If you're carving on it, you're scratching it

and if you put something that's too hot on it, it opens up the glaze and you get stains.

Is that a join? I think that might be a join.

You can see joins where they've managed to fold it round. Bit of a smudge.

That's how it's decorated. OK. I think it's quite fun.

-Thank you for your help.

-Yeah, thank you.

So that's a "no" then, is it?

Let's hope Mark has better luck selling a bit of style to the boys.

95.

95, yeah.

It'll be signed underneath. There we are, "Sabino, Paris".

Does that float your boat

or do you prefer the fish?

-I think I prefer the fish.

-Shall we have a look at that as well?

-He's Pisces.

-You're Pisces?

-To go with your star sign, star quality.

-Yes.

-Well, that again is signed underneath.

-That's quite nice.

-That one is 65.

Yeah, that's quite nice.

-I quite like that.

-Do you?

-I like the shape of it.

If you hold it up, you've got that opalescence.

What do you think you could do that for, sir? It's marked at 65.

-How about 55?

-55...

-What do you think?

-Would they take 50?

-I don't know. You'll have to ask the gentleman.

-Would you take...

-I couldn't do any less than that.

-He can't do any less than that.

-What do you think? Do you like it?

-I like it. I think it's different.

-Is this going to be our first purchase?

-Yes.

-Happy with that?

-Yeah, happy with that.

We'd like to take that at 55, thank you.

Well, that was pretty painless. Well done, Blues.

That's one item found, but it seems the Reds are having second thoughts about that platter.

I still like that turkey tray.

-You like the what?

-That blue tray over there.

-The meat plate.

-Yeah. I'm calling it a turkey tray.

-Turkey tray?

-Do you want to get that before we go anywhere else?

-I think so.

-We'll just go and buy that.

-Here!

-Don't be over-keen.

Hello. We've got lovely blue eyes.

- Yeah, you have. - That you like staring in.

-Go on.

-Work it, girls!

-Just for the meat plate, yeah?

- Yeah. - The best I can do would be £30.

- Yeah! - Yeah?

-Let's go for it.

-Can I be really, really cheeky and just say 28?

Yeah, go on. That's all right.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

-Where is he? Jonathan!

-Come here!

-28.

-The kind man has given it to us for 28.

-OK.

-That's very good, yeah.

-Yeah.

-Why not?

-We'll take.

-That's brilliant.

-All right?

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you.

-First one.

You cheeky things! Well done. That's one apiece.

These ladies are hot on your heels, Blues, so it may come down to the details.

-Yeah, I think that's an unusual item.

-This obviously comes off. I'll give you that.

-I'll be in charge of that.

-That's completely over the top.

-Totally.

-You think somebody might like it?

-I think somebody would love it.

-Are they poppies?

-I think so.

-They look like poppies.

-That sits on there?

-Yeah. If you put that like that, it seems to...

-Yeah, it seems to be part of the design, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-I mean, no marks, but quite nicely cast.

-Yes.

There's been a bit of chasing on here to give the effect of the veins.

-Someone's spent time on the detail.

-What do we call something like this?

-A compote.

-Or a tazza. Something for putting your fruit or your nuts in.

There are some people who like these traditional sorts of things.

I would put that at the end of the Victorian, beginning of the Edwardian period.

-I quite like it. Shall we ask?

-Yes.

-Can I just ask you the price?

70?

70? Do you think that would make...

-I like...

-It's nice. It is unusual.

-I do like it a lot.

You couldn't do it for 60 then...? You could.

-OK. I think that's good.

-Are we happy with that for 60?

-Yes.

-I'm happy with that for 60.

-You both seem really enthusiastic.

-We both liked it.

-Thank you very much.

-We'll take it for 60.

-Thank you.

Good work, Bad Andrew and Bad Charles! You do seem to be on your best behaviour at the moment.

Yeah!

Which is more than I can say for the Reds.

-Is this your thing?

-Oh, la la!

-That's better, Yvonne.

OK, hurry up. Stop wasting time.

-We've had around 20 minutes of our time, so we're OK for time.

-Not too bad.

-And we've bought two items.

-Yeah.

And we've only spent £115,

so you've got acres of time and quite a lot of money, OK?

Right, so let's look for something that's quality.

-We've left Jonathan behind.

-Come on, Jonathan, keep up!

Gosh, you girls are drawn to your crockery, aren't you?

-It's kind of fun.

-It is, isn't it? What do you think of this?

-That's Poole.

-That's Poole, yes, OK.

That can be 48.

-For the plate?

-Yeah.

What do you think of it? That's the more important thing.

-Yeah, I do like it. It caught my eye as I came past.

-OK.

That could be your bright item, don't you think, "Yv"?

As well as the crockery fetish, of course.

-Ladies, we've had...

-Yes?

-We've had 30 minutes...

-OK.

-..which is fine, you know?

-That's fine.

-We've got one.

-You've got one.

-We've got one.

'So, we've reached the halfway mark and while they're busy shopping,

'I've been holding the baby.'

Beep-beep. Morning.

Cor, that was a bit of a pull, wasn't it?

What do you think about my new four-wheel drive then?

Brilliant, isn't it? But I need to reassure all you girls at home that inside, there is no baby.

That's a relief, isn't it?

This is a splendid example of a perambulator, isn't it?

The sort of thing that would have been pushed around in the 1880s or 1890s.

The survival of these things is incredibly rare.

Why? Well, when I was a nipper, we used to take these prams apart for the wheels

and you'd get a few bits of orange box, nail them together and make a fantastic trolley out of them.

Great fun.

But it has survived and that's how it's found its way to the antiques fair here today.

What's great about it is the person that made this thing made the body out of solid beech

and then the upholstery that looks just like leather, but actually it's called oilcloth

that's then been waxed, painted and treated, so that it becomes waterproof

and actually, it's flexible enough to use and fold today.

Look at that!

And in the bottom, a secret compartment

in which you keep your terrycloths.

Marvellous. What's it worth?

Well, this fellow, with an MOT, could be yours today for 400.

OK, baby, let's go.

'Beep-beep.

'Out of my way, you Blues!'

-Where did he get that from?

-Stolen it, I think.

No, not stolen. More acquired, I should say.

Now, come on, we need to carve out some profits.

-These are quite interesting, two Chinese coral carvings.

-Yeah.

And they are 150 for the two.

I think the colour is quite...

They're quite striking. If you had them, they are sort of...

-It's interesting, isn't it? It's a gamble.

-Yeah.

-Are you gambling people?

-I'm up for a gamble, yeah.

-I think, age-wise, we're probably looking at 1930s.

-Right, yeah.

-I don't think the carving is quite the quality of a 19th or 18th century carving.

-No.

-But it is a stunning colour.

-I like the colour.

And to have two of them..

-It's almost a bit Marmite. It's "love or hate" with the colour.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-I think I would tend to love it, actually. I really think they're quite striking.

-It's tactile.

-They're very tactile.

-Yeah, I think they're very nice.

-I chose the fish. If you want the coral, I think you should go for the coral.

-I do like the coral.

What do you think you could do the coral...if we went for the coral?

-120, I could do on that.

-That's quite reasonable.

How much have you spent so far?

-How much have we spent?

-115.

-115.

-Yeah, 115.

So, if you could get those for, say, 110,

you're then going to leave me £75 to find something interesting as a bonus buy.

-If the dealer can go down that low.

-Yeah.

-I mean, that's a possibility.

-I'll stretch to 110, yes.

-Are we happy with that?

-Yeah.

-Shall I shake his hand on your behalf?

-Shake his hand.

-Thank you very much. That's great.

And that's you done. In good time too.

Go and have a coffee.

You Reds had better get your skates on.

-Are we wearing you out?

-No, it's just getting a little bit stressful now.

-Don't get stressed, get even.

-Calm down...

JP, I think you do have cause for concern because as you're now in the final 15 minutes

with two items left to find, hold on to your hats, you lot!

Yeah, look, Jonathan, what about this?

That...

-That's very different.

-Dressing table stuff in silver is very collectable.

You've got the novelty of the golf club.

It worries me that I've not seen something like this before and it's an unusual thing to have.

These are almost like golf balls around the outside.

-This is for standing hat pins in, basically.

-It's all silver?

-Oh, yeah, it will be.

-I like that.

-1907.

So, it's a fun thing. He's asking 125 on the label.

In the time that we've got, it's probably a very good idea.

We're still running on the clock and we don't have much time left.

You can't not have three items. I can tell you that now. You can't not have three items. We can't.

Don't, you're worrying us now! We like this.

Yes. The very, very best is 110. I can't do any less...

-100?

-Could you just do 100?

-Please, pretty please?

Please, please, 100? Then we'll go and leave you alone in peace to enjoy your Sunday.

-No, 110.

-We'll give you a kiss.

-And a cuddle.

-LAUGHTER

-Please!

-I tell you what.

-It'll make us really happy.

I'll split it with you - 105. There we are.

If the best is 105, then 105 is the price.

-OK.

-Right.

-We'll have to do that then.

-Are you going to do that?

-Yeah.

-Will you shake the man's hand?

-Yes.

-Thank you very much.

-It's my pleasure.

-Thank you.

Phew! I need a break.

I can sit back and relax or we can sit back and relax, wondering what the Reds are doing.

They're probably blindly panicking, running around the fair.

I hope so if it gives us a chance of winning.

-Three minutes. We have three minutes.

-No!

-Yeah, honestly.

-Turn the clock back. Quick!

-Right, decision time. What are you going to do?

-You know that big bowl thing?

-The Poole one?

-The "colouredy" Poole thing that was £55 that she said we could do for 48.

-OK.

-That's...

-Where was she?

-That way somewhere, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-It's over here.

-Go on then. Go, go, go.

-Do you think that...

-Yes, yes.

I'm just going to say "yes" to anything you say now!

I don't know now.

I just love shopping with women.

You get all the way over here, you've got a minute left and you say, "I don't know now."

-30 seconds.

-This Poole plate. Definitely.

-What is the very best price you could do this for?

-You've got 20 seconds to negotiate.

-We've only got 20 seconds to negotiate.

-45 is the very best.

-40?

-I gave you a really good price.

-You just couldn't do 40?

-The seconds are ticking.

-Please.

-40.

-40, yes! OK...

-Thank you.

-With seconds to go! How did we do that?

-Thank you very much.

-Well done. That was really, really good fun.

Thank you.

-As if!

-Yes, we believe you, Jonathan(!)

I love a panic buy, don't you?

Right then, that's it. Time's up.

Let's remind ourselves what the Red Team bought.

For their first course, the team dished up this 19th century meat platter.

Let's hope they clean up after paying £28.

Then they got their bit of sparkle with this silver hat pin,

but it caused quite a puncture in their purse at £105.

And in the final seconds,

they settled for this blue and yellow dish - £40 paid.

-That was right down to the line, wasn't it? My word!

-Yeah, right to the last second, Jonathan.

I say, JP, you get all the luck, don't you? Two blonde bombshells!

-Have you had a nice time with JP?

-Lovely time.

-Absolutely fantastic.

-I loved every second of it.

-Did you?

-Yes.

-We kept him on his toes.

-That's what he needs. He's only young.

-We had to look after him.

-What did you spend in total?

-173.

173, so can I have 127 of leftover lolly?

-You may, Tim.

-You don't like this, do you?

-No.

OK, going over to JP then. And I dare say he's got an idea as to what he's going to do.

-It'd better be good.

-Yeah, it'd better be!

On that happy note, perhaps we'd better go and check out what the Blue Team bought.

The Blues got hooked on this fishy glass paperweight.

Let's hope it pulls in a profit at £55.

Then they saw quality in this Victorian, silver-plated compote

and sealed the deal at £60.

Finally, they took a risk on these Chinese, carved coral figures,

but they cost a pretty penny at £110.

It wasn't too bad...

It's like a cocktail party over here. We've just finished shopping.

-Had a good time?

-Yes, a marvellous time.

It was exciting for us. How much did you spend in toto?

-In total, it was £225.

-225.

-Who's got the 75?

-I have it somewhere.

-Very good.

-There you go.

-What's your favourite piece?

-I like the fish, the sub-Lalique fish.

-That is lovely.

-Is that going to bring the biggest profit?

-Who knows?

-Who knows?

-You've clearly had a very difficult day, Mark, so I'll present you with £75.

-Thank you, Tim.

-Hopefully, you've got some inspiration.

-I've got something quirky, avant-garde

and something I don't think you'll like much!

-That's exciting.

-Lovely.

-I can't wait for the auction!

-You tease us!

But before all that, we're heading off, we lucky tribe, to Fenton House in Hampstead.

What could be nicer?

Fenton House in Hampstead has had many owners

since it was built in the late 17th century.

Its last private owner was Katherine, Lady Binning

who came here in 1936.

She was a formidable collector of fine art, tapestries and furniture,

but it was her penchant for ceramics that brings me here today.

Cor, look at this lot!

You can't believe you're in the attic of a house in Hampstead, can you?

It looks as if we've transported several villages and set them out.

In fact, on this side of the table we've got half of Stratford-upon-Avon

with thatched roofs, timber-framed buildings.

In the middle there's a sort of lilac heaven

and on the far side, a few follies,

but what were they used for?

Well, in the 18th and 19th centuries, houses were full of the most unfortunate pongs.

People didn't wash much -

bad teeth, bad breath,

all the more reason to want to refresh the odour in your rooms.

If we take this lilac dream here and remove the lid,

inside is a lilac liner.

And underneath the liner is a depression in the middle of this circular cottage.

That's where your candle would go.

Light the candle, put the reservoir on top,

which has been filled with perfume in an essence,

so that when the candle heated it, it would give off a sweet odour.

That odour then would be released in this case through the chimney pot

and nearly all of these structures on this table are for the same purpose.

They're really, simply room fresheners.

Over the years, these cottage incense burners have become very popular as collectables.

One or two aren't in the form of cottages.

This one is in the form of a kind of bandstand with a frilly roof which is rather fun

and largely these things are made out of clay in Staffordshire,

which, of course, was the home of this Toby Jug

which is of a type that's known as Ralph Wood...

..largely because the white clay has been covered in this bluish pearlware-type glaze

and it's the colour scheme that's been employed by the decorator -

bright yellow knees on his breeches

and rather zany zig-zag stockings and brown shoes.

And it would have had a practical purpose because it's got a handle on the back side,

this tricorn hat design,

so that whatever direction you might decide to pour a fluid out of, it would work.

Of course, the big question today is -

will our teams over at the auction have anything to toast like victory, for example?

High Road Auctions in Chiswick is where we're at and David Porter is the man of the moment.

-David, good morning.

-Good morning, Tim.

-Splendid moustache.

-Thank you.

-Makes mine feel rather miserable.

-The meat dish, do you like it?

-I think it's fun.

The geometric border I love in contrast to this very traditional centre point, centre design

which goes over the tree and well form.

The tree and well is where the blood flows from the carving down into the well of the dish. It's pretty.

Yeah, the geometry of that border is extraordinary. As you say, unusual.

-We've put 40 to 60 on it which isn't outrageous.

-It certainly isn't. Our team paid £28.

-Very good.

That's why I'm so proud of them. That's that.

Next is their hat pin in the form of a golf stick and whatnot.

-That's rather good, isn't it?

-It's highly unusual.

-I might suggest that the golf club has been put in later.

-Oh, really?

-Very possibly.

-Oh, dear.

-It's still a relevant piece of silver.

It's a bit of fun for your dressing table. Because it's got the golfing interest, it will make money.

-People do collect hat pins.

-They do.

-It's a big collectable area.

If you've got a collection of hat pins, what could be nicer than this to stick it in? What is it worth?

-40 to 60.

-Oh, dear, what they might have made with the meat dish, they're about to lose

-because £105 they paid for the hat pin stand.

-That's a bit much.

It's all in the eye of the beholder, slightly like the Poole charger

-which is Delphis Ware and I have to say it is my least favourite.

-Is it?

-Yes.

-Do you like it?

-Not particularly.

-It's a stylised pansy, I fancy.

-It is a stylised pansy.

-It's like half a pansy opposed by another pansy.

There are collectors who love this sort of thing. That's the main thing. Poole Pottery is very collectable.

-How collectable? What's it worth?

-£40 to £60?

-Is that all?

-Yes.

-OK.

Our team only paid £40, so that's all right.

Apart from this hat pin stand, I think they've done very, very well and won't need the bonus buy,

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

Carol, Yvonne, this is the moment. You sent JP off quite briskly to find you something good.

JP, did you find something good?

-Er...

-Uh-oh!

She's at it again!

-Yeah, uh-oh!

-Uh-oh!

-Ohh!

-Ohh!

-Take one each, girls.

-Take that one there.

First of all, these are silver.

I think they're from the officers' mess, little stands for their menu, I guess, or something.

I don't know. They're 1920s. They've got the officers' names on the front. They're made of silver.

I just thought they were rather unusual.

I can tell you love 'em, Yvonne.

It's written all over your face, doll!

-How much did you pay for them?

-I paid £80 for them.

BOTH: Ohh...

-Where did you get them from?

-I bought them at the fair.

LAUGHTER

-From...?

-What do you think? Out of a cracker, doll?

Girls, you don't have to pick now. You pick later, but let's find out what the auctioneer thinks.

Right then, these are unusual.

They are unusual. They're more for the militaria than the silver market, I think.

This is Flight Officer OD Allerton

and that obviously stands for F.O.O.D which is engraved on the front.

They're wrapped around a Bakelite base. It's very basic with an inscription on the side.

They are of interest. They're a bit of fun, they're highly unusual,

but I think it will appeal more to the militaria people, rather than the silver people.

-For all we know, Flight Lieutenant AA Townsend could have been a hero, couldn't he?

-Absolutely.

All that delving around is going to unearth the history here.

-It will fascinate people and it will make them pay between £30 and £50.

-That's not a fascinating estimate.

-Actually, it's a pretty reasonable estimate.

-I think so. It's a conservative estimate.

£80 is what Jonathan Pratt paid

and I think at the price, with all that potential within them, that could be cheap enough.

-Absolutely.

-Lovely. That's it for the Reds. Thank you very much.

Now for the Blues, Andrew and Charles and Mark Stacey.

They came up with their Sabino, Lalique-lookalike fish.

It's a bit of fun if you like fish and Lalique and you want it cheap.

We've put £20 to £30 on it which is not a lot of money.

-If it said "Lalique, France" on the bottom...

-You'd be more than tripling the price in the high 100s.

Charles took a punt at £55 and, who knows, he might yet be right.

Next is the silver-plated compote.

-I don't like the look of that glass dish.

-It's obviously later.

-It looks weedy.

-It does look weedy.

These were made for the centre of the table. They are pretty, nicely cast.

-But it would have had a different shaped, sized colour bowl.

-How much did you put on it?

-50 to 80.

-They paid 60, so that's OK.

-That's easily within reach.

-Now, what about these carved coral jobbies?

-They're wonderful, strange things. The carving's naive, Tim.

They're Chinese. We've put a low estimate of 40 to 60 on them and I think it's a fair enough estimate.

-Andrew's rated them at £110 and that's what they paid.

-OK.

-If they've got a deep, dark hole, the coral will fill it.

-Absolutely.

In which case they'll need their bonus buy, so let's have a look at it.

-Now, A, C, Andrew and Charles, this is your moment.

-Right.

£75 of leftover lolly was given to Mark Stacey. What did you spend it on, Mark?

Well, Tim, something I thought was rather quirky.

I'm not convinced you're going to like it.

-Quirky, it is.

-Yes.

-I've never, ever seen anything quite like it.

-I'm pleased to say I haven't.

-I'm not sure I want to see anything like it again.

But I think it's fun.

-Is it English, is it local?

-No, no, it's French.

It's French, sort of tin glaze with this high glaze and hand-decorated.

-But it's a cat doing her washing up or something.

-How much did you pay?

-Well, I only paid £35 for it.

-Well, that's getting better.

I thought if somebody's got as quirky an imagination as I have, it might make 50 on a good day.

-We could clean up on it.

-Yeah.

-Shall we go for it?

-I don't know...

I think that's enough praising of our little cat, thank you very much.

-Well, this is extraordinary, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

This is going to appeal to the cat lovers and the lovers of porcelain.

I've put 40 to 80 on it. It's signed on the base.

-Who knows? It could go up to 100.

-When do you think it dates from?

Not that long ago, to be perfectly honest.

-Do you think sort of 1950s?

-I do, yes.

-What's your estimate?

-40 to 80.

Well, that cunning, feline-loving Mark Stacey only paid £35 for it.

-And as we know, he is a cool cat.

-DAVID LAUGHS

The bid's with you, sir. £60 against you on the internet.

-Now, Carol, Yvonne, how are you, girls?

-Good.

-Yeah, we're good.

-This is exciting.

-Yeah, very exciting.

-You're looking lovely, if you don't mind my saying so.

-Thank you, Tim. You're not looking so bad yourself.

-There we are.

-Nice tan.

-One shine deserves another.

First up is the meat platter and here it comes.

Lot number 170

and this is a late 19th century,

Copeland and Garrett, Spode, blue and white.

15 on the commission. 20. 25.

-30. 35. 40...

-Look at that, girls, £40!

45 on the internet. At £45.

-Yes!

-50, new bidder.

55 on the net. 60 now. £60.

It's still with the internet at £65. With the internet at 65...

-Look at that.

-Go, go, go!

-Come on!

-EXCITED SQUEALS

What are they like?!

It's on the net at 70.

£70 and selling. For £70...

£70. 28 is two shy of 30 and 30 is 40 more...

So, you've got plus £42.

How about that?

Now, hat pin stand.

Lot number 171, it's a silver hat pin stand with golfing interest.

At £35. Bid's in the room. Are you bidding on the internet at 40?

The bid's with me.

£35. 40, new bidder.

45.

50.

-55.

-Come on, come on, come on.

-60.

Go on. 65.

£65. Are you sure, sir?

Go on. 70. £70.

-More, more!

-It was worth it. 75.

£80. 85, sir?

Are you sure?

-More!

-£80 is bid.

-Keep going!

£80, it is. With you at 80. Selling... £80 and selling...

-£80.

-OK...

-Blast it! It could have been a lot worse, girls.

-It could have.

-£80, that means you're minus £25, right?

Here comes Delphis. Look out!

Lot number 172 is the Poole Pottery.

I have to start the bidding at £30. It's my bid at 30 on the book.

35. 40 here.

45. 50.

£50. Any more?

55, new bidder. 60 with me, sir.

65. 70.

-70!

-70!

I've got £75. Now's the chance to join in on the internet.

£75 is bid in the room. 80, new bidder.

-He's good.

-It doesn't get better than this.

Do you want to go 85?

-Might as well. 85. 90, sir?

-Come on!

At £85. Here's the bid.

Selling to this gentleman at 85...

85 is plus 45.

You had plus 17 before.

45, 55, 62.

-Plus 62. How good is that?

-Thank you.

-What are we?

-Plus 62.

-Thank you.

-Is that good?

-That's good.

-That is good.

What will we do about this bonus buy? You don't have to go with it.

But you might want to go with it. To make a profit on Bargain Hunt is very difficult.

You've got £62 in the bank. Do you want to keep it in the bank or do you want to gamble?

-No.

-Keep it.

-Keep it.

-Yeah, keep it.

-Sorry.

That's all right. You don't like it anyway.

-I did like it, but it's just...

-No, keep the money.

-Yes.

-Keep the money.

-What do you want to do?

-Let's bank the money.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

We'll sell the menu card holders anyway. Here they come.

The next lot is the hallmarked officers' mess menu holders.

Who's going to bid me £10?

10, I have. It's on the internet at 10. I'm going to sell...

No, 15. 20. 25. 30.

35. 40. £40, it's all on the internet.

£45 now. At £45 with the internet.

50, new bidder. £55.

At £55 for these fine pieces showing up on the screen.

Selling for £55 then...

Sold to the internet.

Brilliant! Well done, Jonathan.

-That is minus...

-Well done, that was rubbish(!)

-Minus...

-I didn't like to say!

-Minus...

-Sorry.

Minus £25. You didn't go with it.

You preserved your 62, so you are plus £62 which, God willing, will be a winning score today.

-Thank you.

-Don't say a word to the Blues.

-No.

-And all will be revealed in a moment. Well done.

-Thank you.

-Andrew, Carlos, Sabino fish paperweight...

-Right.

-Charles, you're responsible for that.

-Indeed.

-£55, you paid. His estimate is £20 to £30.

-Oh!

-Good luck.

Here comes your first item. Here comes the Sabino fish.

Lot number 190 is the opalescent glass paperweight.

And it's Sabino of Paris.

I've got 40. 45, new bidder.

-50. 55.

-You've wiped your face.

-Yeah, we've got 55.

£60. Still your bid, madam, at 60.

65, new bidder.

-65?

-That's a bottle of wine!

75. Do you want to go 80? Are you sure?

£75. The bid's here with this gentleman at £75.

-Good taste!

-Thank you. I didn't think you were finished. £80.

80 is bid and selling for £80...

-I'm happy with that.

-Plus £25.

-Pretty good.

-Nothing the matter with that.

Well done. Now, your compote.

The Victorian, silver-plated centrepiece. This is a bit of fun.

55. On the internet already at £55.

Next bid's 60. I've got £55. It's held by the internet.

Selling to the internet. Last chance to buy it in the gallery. 60 is bid.

-You've wiped your face.

-Is that what we paid?

-Yeah, £60.

-65?

£65. It's still with the internet. It's an internet war.

To the internet at £65...

Plus £5. You're plus £30.

-Plus 30.

-The quality of the vino is going up.

-Yes, yes.

Lot number 192,

we've got Chinese, early 20th century, carved coral figures.

£30.

At £30.

With the internet at £30. Am I selling at £30?

Two pieces of carved coral for £30...

- Oh, dear. - It's your last chance

to buy them in the gallery and your last chance on the internet.

£30 is bid. To the internet.

Selling to the net, £30... Sold for £30.

£30. £30 is just 70...

That's 70...minus £80.

You're overall minus £50. It's gone from boom to bust in only one lot.

-Isn't that irritating?

-A little bit.

-Really irritating.

What are you going to do about the pussycat? Going to have a go at that? Give it a quick stroke?

-We might as well.

-Yeah.

Not necessarily. Minus 50 could be a winning score. You don't have to do it if you don't fancy it.

-Let's go for it. We trust you.

-We trust you, Mark.

-You'll blame me, you mean?

-Yes.

-We'll get you in the playground.

-You're going to go with the bonus buy?

-Yeah.

-OK, here comes the pussycat.

196 is the maiolica glazed figure of a seated cat having a wash.

£15 for cats. 20 on the internet.

It's still with the internet.

It's £20. I'm going to sell it.

22 if you like? Would you like to go to 22?

Yes?

Yes, 22. £22, against you on the net.

£22. £3 more?

No, you're out of it. £22, worth holding on, sir.

Selling in the gallery at £22... Yours, sir.

-£22.

-Oh! Sorry.

-I'm sorry, that's minus 13.

-That means overall you're minus...

-It looks bad.

You're minus 63, OK?

-Oh, dear.

-And really entirely as a result of those wretched bits of coral.

-Yeah.

-Yeah? There we go. Minus 63 could be a winning score. Don't say a word to the girls.

All will be revealed in a moment. Well done, chaps.

What a phenomenal day we have had! Talk about roller-coaster!

-Have you chaps been chatting at all?

-No.

-No.

-No.

-I can't believe that one team can do so well and one team can do so badly.

-Oh, no.

-The team that are the runners-up with extreme misfortune are the Blues.

-Oh!

-Oh!

£80 down...

Behave yourselves, children!

There's a degree of competition here, I tell you!

They've not behaved like that since the lower fifth.

No, seriously, minus £80, that's what torpedoed you.

You were having two pluses. You were on track until those lumps of coral.

-I know, yes.

-I still can't believe it.

-I hope you've enjoyed it.

-Yeah.

-We've loved seeing you.

-Thank you.

Great fun all round. Thank you for coming.

-But the girls are actually going to go home with £62.

-Ooh!

-Ooh!

So, you're down 63 and they're up 62.

-Oh, yes.

-How odd is that? Yvonne, behave yourself.

-I am. Thank you, Tim.

-There's your 60, darling.

-And you get two little notes to pass over to your friend.

-That's fair.

-We'll sort that one later!

£62 up is a sound score and I congratulate you.

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

-Yes!

-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'll be splendid to see you.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd