Leominster 11 Bargain Hunt

Herefordshire is famed for its beef production.

Cows were driven to London through the streets of Leominster.

The big question is will there be a stampede through the antiques arcades today?

Ha! Let's go bargain hunting.

Since medieval times, folk have flocked to Leominster on account of its good quality wool.

So will our teams today be able to spin a profit over at the auction

or simply be completely stitched up?

Today, our Reds go off like a loose cannon.

He's a fireman - always impressed with things that go bang.

And our Brummie Blue team finds out there's a high price for spice.

-35.

-Do you know, I wish it was! It's 135.

The Blue and the Red teams each get £300 and an hour to shop for three items which they sell at auction.

The team wins that makes the biggest profit or the smallest loss.

Let's meet the teams on today's show.

Today it's boys versus girls. For the Reds, John and Ken, who are mates,

and for the Blues, mother and daughter, Veda and Tara. Hello, everybody.

-Lovely to see you. Now, John, you'll keep us on the straight and narrow. You're a retired copper.

-Correct.

-Tell us about it.

-30 years in the Merseyside force. Did the last 20 years in the CID.

-Did you?

-A stint in the regional crime squad.

-Did you have a good time?

-I thoroughly enjoyed it.

-How did you meet then, Ken?

-We moved in next door to each other

and we immediately bonded, being a fireman and a policeman.

-Ah!

-And then I got this crazy idea to build a boat.

And the boat came in a flat pack. If you imagine trying to build a curved boat from a flat pack,

not easy. So John helped me with the plans, but he had them upside down for the first two days,

so we struggled a bit. Once we got it together, we'd lots of pleasurable sailing.

You were both in the emergency services. You'll have a plan.

-Buy low, sell high.

-Is that it?

-Hopefully.

-Are you going to sell all your cash?

-We'll see what's there, I think.

-Do you know anything about antiques between the two of you?

-No.

-You could write it on the back of a postage stamp.

-You'll do very well.

Anyway, moving on then. You girls, how are you?

-Fine.

-Fine.

-Good.

-Fit.

-That's cos you eat so well, right?

-Yes!

-Because you run a restaurant?

-Yes.

-Tell us about your restaurant.

-Well, our restaurant is in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.

-It's an Afro-Caribbean restaurant.

-Right.

-We do all the authentic food.

-Mm-hm.

-Very high in flavour.

-Spicy!

-Spicy!

-I've been cooking since I was nine. I'm still cooking now - I'm 72!

-Are you really?

-I tell you, this girl is red hot. Now, Tara, you also work in mum's restaurant.

-Yes.

-Do you do the cooking, too?

-Some of it.

-Tell us about your Caribbean fish and chips.

-That sounds delicious.

-Because some people haven't tried Caribbean food before,

we try to create dishes that people are familiar with.

One of our most popular dishes is Caribbean fish and chips.

We just use a Caribbean salted cod and then sweet potato chips.

-So you get the contrast of flavours that way.

-That's it.

What's your plan today for lashing these great big Red men?

Oh, well, we've got to beat them, haven't we?

You're going to eat them?! I think that's going a bit strong!

-We've got to win them as well.

-Oh, beat them! I thought you said eat them!

What with you being a cook and all, I thought you were going to fry them up!

Anyway, very, very good luck. I think we'll have tremendous fun.

Now £300 apiece. There we go.

Take your money. You know the rules, your experts await. Off you go!

Very, very, very good luck!

Jerk firemen, eh?

Ready to mow down the opposition and allow her Reds to blossom is the smiley Claire Rawle.

While, for the Blues, proving he can have his cake and eat it, is the canny Paul Laidlaw.

What are you keen on looking for?

Just something we really fancy.

Are we a partnership today? Are we equals? Or is daughter in charge? Is mum in charge?

-BOTH: She's in charge!

-Oh, you're both in charge!

-Guys, let's go and see what we can find in there.

-OK.

-On we go.

On that basis, I think we'll go for it!

What do you think about this? That's different.

-A little folding cake stand.

-What sort of age would that be?

That's going to be sort of 1920s, '30s. A time when people had tea.

But that's come back into fashion.

Remember, anything you like at all. Let's have the conversation.

-Claire, what do you think of that?

-Oh, right.

That's a good shape, isn't it? You've got the little set with the sugar and milk jug.

-Is this just...?

-Just the same. It's more for the style, isn't it?

It is, yeah.

It's quite retro looking.

But it's not teatime already, is it?

Are you looking at that? Lovely, that size.

-Yes.

-Ordinarily, I would say keep well away from a copper kettle, it's yesterday's news.

But this is one of those typical antiques. The copper kettle sitting on the dresser.

We look for cues, clues as to how old they are.

Construction is our route in. Look at this. What do you see there?

Well...

-The age of it.

-Yeah.

-That little button tells you it's quite old.

-Also, can you see a little brass dovetail.

-Yeah.

The craftsmanship. That man started with a sheet and he didn't beat it into that form.

He wrapped it round and he made a dovetail joint and he brazed that with molten brass. The workmanship!

Now why it's that size, I think we've got to assume it's a toy, isn't it?

-That would look nice on the fire grate.

-Do you think £28 is a bit...?

-It's a bit steepish.

-I'm mean! I think everything's steep. That's a given, ladies.

If I was asked to sell that, I'd say that was worth £30-£40 at auction.

-Really?

-Yeah. That's a great starting point. What do I think we could buy it for?

-19-ish.

-I'm with you.

-That south of 20. Totally with you!

-19-ish, yeah.

Tara, you're looking unsure.

-I don't know.

-You see, this isn't her thing. She likes...newer things.

-Ah! Well, that's good. But is there give and take? Can we work together?

-Yeah.

-I'm loving it.

-I think it's gorgeous.

-See if it was full size, I'd walk past it.

-I'm not seeing it.

-So shall we have a go?

-Go on, then.

-You can't see the beauty of it, can you?

-No.

-But it is.

It's the workmanship you're looking at. The time spent on it.

We're interested in buying this. What's the best...?

-I could do that for 20.

-Mmm.

Yeah, I think 20 is a bit steepish.

-- We think about 15?

-About 15.

-- It's unusual.

What about 18?

16?

-Go on!

-16, then.

That's gorgeous!

-Well done!

-Lovely. We'll have that, thank you, madam.

Well done indeed, girls. You don't mess about. One up to the Blues.

Come on, Reds - fingers out!

-The little cannon there.

-Oh, right, OK. Let's look at that.

It says 1930s on it. Let's have a good look at it. Can't actually see it up there.

They make nice desk ornaments.

It's not bad, actually. Bakelite stand. Brass.

Cannon looks fine. Quite a nice item. 38. Obviously, you'd want it for a bit less.

-We're here to make a profit.

-What would that sell for?

I'd have thought 30-50. Do you feel like negotiating?

It's good to get your first buy under your belt.

-I prefer that table.

-Do you?

-The cake table.

-I actually prefer that.

-OK, this is good!

-If I was buying for myself, I wouldn't buy a cake table.

-That's more of a man thing.

-Boy's toys.

-He's a fireman. Impressed with things that go bang.

-The police like cakes, do they?

We're more laidback. Tea and cakes.

Do you feel we're at a stage where you'd like me to find the guy?

-I think it's worthwhile with that table and this.

-We'll have the two together and do some negotiations.

-Would we be picking too quick?

-That's what I'm wondering.

-We haven't seen a great deal.

-But it's worth getting one under your belt.

-OK, right. I'll go and find the man we need.

-They're both 38, Ken.

-They're both 38?

-Yeah.

It could be one where you turn round and say 25 for each...

-Take them both.

-50 quid for the two.

-Yes, I think so.

Right, OK, guys. Here's the man you need to speak to.

-- I suppose you want it for nothing. - Ideally, yes.

-We do.

- We'd like both of them for nothing. - Oh, this one as well.

-If you could do a little joint deal for us.

-What's your best price?

- Up or down? - Definitely down.

-We're thinking a one and a zero.

-We have to be practical.

- I'll do 60 for the two. - We were thinking of 50 for both.

- 55, go on. - How about the 50?

- Yeah, go on, then. - What a good man. Thank you.

-That's two down.

-Wow.

-Mega-hits.

-No messing with us on Merseyside.

-Thanks very much.

-You supply the cake!

-You boys have all guns blazing!

That's two down and we're only 15 minutes in. Girls, no messing now. You need to stick to the job.

Like a Janus head, isn't it?

-But...

-I don't know.

I think that is resin. Now this one here,

that little split marries the little rib there.

That tells me it's malacca cane, not bamboo, not carved wood. Malacca cane.

And it's been ebonised. But, yeah, the damage is bad news.

And priced at...£45. I'd rather have the £45 than the cane, to be honest with you.

-Old biscuit tins.

-Oh, right.

-Is it a biscuit tin?

-Yeah, McVitie's small rich tea. Yeah.

-They seem quite popular now.

-It doesn't look like...

-That's a paper cover. Is printed on better?

Well, it is better. Paper being there and being so complete is quite good.

-It's like it's never been opened.

-There's a hole.

-Lucky for us, variety is the very spice of life.

This is what we want to see. It's tin plate, which is tinned steel plate.

The tinning protects it. Outside, it's black lacquered.

Inside, you have cracking little boxes. Nicely labelled up.

If you look, see the S in spice looks like an F.

Up until about 1800, typeset, the printed word,

Ss as we know them are actually commonly Fs.

In its day, I suspect those were quite expensive ingredients. Certainly exotic.

-Yeah.

-Price ticket... There you go. It's actually...

-35.

I wish it was! It's 135.

Ouch. That would have been great, would it not? For us to buy a wee spice box.

Who needs the box when we've got our very own Spice Girls?

What have you found? Oh, it's a sandwich box, like the old things from picnic boxes.

-That says £18. I wonder if that's for the pair.

-No, I think £18 each.

-Oh, right.

-Yeah.

That's it. Well done. Yeah, put your sandwiches in there.

-Will that be...?

-Glazed pottery. It's about 1950s, '60s, when people did more picnicking.

It's come back in fashion. You go round in your old Morris 1000 with your picnic.

-What do you think, Ken?

-It's like a policeman's lunchbox.

Not big enough, Ken! Possibly with the two together.

-Of course, you like the cakes as well.

-Cakes, sandwiches, the lot.

-And the big flask for brandy and lemonade.

-What are coppers like, eh?

Now, Tara and Veda, time to weigh up your odds, methinks.

-I like that.

-Worcester. Yeah, it's a melon, isn't it?

Yeah.

Yeah. I'd be pitching that at 50-80 at the moment.

-Conservatively, albeit. And it's priced up at...

-98.

-It's not a million miles off it.

-No.

-It's buyable.

-You like that?

-Yeah, the detail.

-Is there any faults in it?

Well, the weak point is the spout and that looks good.

And the handle. The gilding rubs. Just dusting this over 100 years.

-It's not a hanging offence, but it's not ideal.

-Yeah.

Now there's the mark. A puce Worcester mark.

Date marks, by my reckoning, counting up those little dots, I think it's 1894.

Now what are they saying?

-£98.

-Circa 1893. So we agree with that. Royal Worcester jug.

Gilt vine leaf. Yours for £98.

-Well, shall we ask?

-Yeah.

Tara and Veda, and myself, like the Worcester melon... call it a vase or a jug.

-Yes, it's nice, isn't it?

-Just wondering if there's any slack in the price.

Well, the ticket price is 98.

-Can we ignore that?

-Yeah, exactly.

-Well, yes, that's where we're starting from, isn't it?

Yes, so... 10% would bring us down to 88.

I daresay we could do a little bit more and we could say £80.

Are we absolutely sure? Is the vendor about?

I'll see if I can get her on the phone and see if she can do any better for you.

While Stan the dealer makes that all-important call, girls, see if you can spot something.

What about that calendar there? It could be quite trendy on a businessman's desk or something.

I do like selling to businessmen. They've generally got a pound or two to spare!

Ah, yeah.

-I can do you a better price on this.

-Oh, really?

-We can accept £60.

-Oh, good.

-What do you think, ladies? Feeling a wee bit better?

55 would have been better.

-It's better than the kettle.

-Go on.

-That's a hesitant yes.

-Right, we have a deal.

-Good work, girls. Item number two in the bag.

That brings the game back even.

The Blues and twos are now on.

Quite a nice little desk stand there, but they've all got to be negotiated down a bit.

-Girls, was that calendar worth a punt?

-Right.

First impression, good silver frame. Nice clear set of hallmarks there.

Ivorine face. And this could do with a polish, to be quite honest with you, but it's all there.

But we need it to stand up. Here we go. Let's see if it will stand up.

Do you know what? It works.

-But is it functional?

-I don't know what it was meant to do. I suspect there's meant to be a little pointer

that we can slide up and down, telling you it's Wednesday today. Move it to Thursday tomorrow.

-But it's not happening.

-It's not, but do you know what?

It doesn't cry out. Look at what you get - very smart silver frame.

Small silver sells.

Look at the price. Hallmarked silver, £45.

I think that's got mileage in it. Could I sell it for more than that at auction?

Yeah, I reckon I could. And that's without anything off the price.

And we've got a lever here. It is damaged.

-Could we get that for 35? I reckon we could.

-I was thinking 25.

-I like your style! I love the way you work!

-25, yeah.

-Can I challenge you to try to buy it for that?

-Yeah, why not?

-He can only say no.

What do you reckon?

-Bite the bullet? Shall we shout?

-Yeah.

-Hi!

-Well, then...

-What have you found now?

This little calendar.

- There is quite a bit of damage going on there. - Yes.

Rightio. I'll see what I can do about this. It's 45.

We were thinking more like 25.

I'll see what we can do about an offer for 25.

Is this supposed to go up and down? It's not that functional, is it?

-That would affect the price as well.

-Yeah, it would.

-I'll see what we can do. Excuse me.

-Thanks.

Like your style. Subtle.

Quite menacing, I would say, at times. I wouldn't like to play poker with you!

So, Stan, we'd better hope the owner's in a good mood.

-Is it good news?

-It's good news. Good news.

We can have it for £20?

Good news on the calendar.

£25.

Do we have a date?

-Yeah!

-Yeah, that's good.

Not only did you pull off a deal, but a date as well.

Not bad going, girls. That's you done.

OK, boys, you'd better detect something quickly as you've only got a few minutes left

and we need to put this case to bed.

-Ken, what do you reckon to that? Do you like it?

-It's different.

-Do you think it's nice?

-Is that silver top?

-I can't find a hallmark, but it looks silver.

I can't see any plate rubbing through. It's in nice order as well.

-The top isn't damaged, the glass looks OK.

-It closes.

-Yeah.

-What would you use it for?

-Probably decorative.

-It's an old inkwell.

-Exactly. Put pens in there.

-It's a decorative item that people still buy.

-What sort of date?

Late Victorian. Papier mache was very popular in those days.

Some items weren't always hallmarked if they were small and light.

-It's in nice order.

-Shall I speak to him?

Yeah, we've got five minutes. You hang on to that, Ken.

I'll find the guy.

Right, this is the man you need to speak to. Ken and John, here we are.

-We haven't got much time. Five minutes.

-Nigel, we need a really good price.

-Right.

You have to be really kind to us. How about £30?

Oh, no, no. That's 65. The best I can go is 60, unless I make a phone call.

-We won't make a profit at that price.

-Right.

-So you've got to give us a good price and be very kind.

-Let him make a phone call.

-I'll come back to you with the best.

-Thanks very much.

-See you in a moment. Time's ticking away.

It is a pretty item. If you can get near 50, you'll be doing well.

It's not my bag, but with two minutes to go, you'd better get negotiating and fast.

Great. Here he is. Brilliant.

I've managed to speak to the dealer.

-The very best that she would go to is 45. No lower.

-The deal is done.

£45, thanks very much.

That was a tough nut to crack, but all in the line of duty, eh?

Time's up. Will they make a profit today?

Well, pigs might fly!

Let's check out what the Red Team bought.

Ken took a shot in the dark with this Bakelite desk cannon

and got it for £25.

Meanwhile, John's sweet tooth led him

to this mahogany folding cake stand.

Another £25 for the privilege.

In the final moments, they rested on this Victorian desk stand and bottle

and nabbed it for £45.

-Pleased with what you got?

-Yeah, we got a good mixture.

-They're happy at the moment, Claire.

-You spent a pretty miserable amount, didn't you?

-I thought we were quite extravagant, really.

-We just got some good bargains.

-Yes.

And you spent in total...?

-£95.

-£95, it was.

-I don't know why we bother giving them 300. Anyway, who's got £205 of leftover lolly?

-I have.

-It's about to be clutched in my hand. There you go.

-All 205, I trust you.

We won't count it. Over it goes to Rawle.

-Any idea what you'll spend it on, Claire?

-I've got a few ideas, but I'm going to keep that under my hat.

-Very enigmatic.

-Didn't you say a diamond ring for yourself would be nice?

-Ssh!

-Hey!

-You're not supposed to tell him that.

-You have bonded up.

Enough of that. Why don't we check out what the Blue Team bought, eh?

Straight away, Veda fell for this miniature copper kettle

and managed to get it for a petite £16.

Then this Royal Worcester jug caught their eye

and they thought there was a profit in it at £60.

And finally, they brought their shopping to a close

with this silver calendar for £25.

-Three good things bought, I think.

-Mm-hm.

-Yeah.

-Well, well, well! Was that as much fun as it looked?

-Yeah.

-Was it good?

-Yeah.

-How much did you spend all round?

-101.

-101.

Did you? Not a lot of money. 199 of leftover lolly I would like.

-Thank you very much. Which goes straight over to the wily Scot.

-Thank you, Tim.

Who has no doubt made his mark on something he's going to go back now and hoover up

to make a huge profit, we hope.

Good luck, girls. Go and have a nice cup of tea. Meanwhile, we're shoving off to Kent.

We're going to Down House, Charles Darwin and all that.

It may come as a surprise that revolutionary scientific theories were evolved

in this rather modest family house in the Kent village of Down

by a man who came to be regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time.

That man was Charles Darwin.

Born into a privileged family early in the 19th century,

it would be reasonable to assume

that he was the typical, authoritative, stern Victorian person,

but actually, when you visit his home here at Down House where he lived for 40 years,

we find evidence that he was a warm, sensitive family man.

Interestingly, the Darwin family were closely intertwined

with another very well-known family.

And the clue as to who that well-known family is

is all around us here on the dining table.

Pick up the soup bowl, look on the back side and it says "Wedgwood".

Charles Darwin's grandfather was none other than Josiah Wedgwood himself.

The link began with two friends -

Erasmus Darwin, one of the foremost physicians of his time,

and Josiah Wedgwood.

Erasmus Darwin's youngest son Robert and Josiah Wedgwood's daughter Susannah married

which resulted in Darwin's birth.

A generation later, relations got even more entwined

when Charles fell in love with and married his first cousin Emma Wedgwood.

Darwin's mother, whose maiden name was Susannah Wedgwood,

commissioned this entire water lily pattern dinner service

from her brother, Josiah Wedgwood II.

It was only made for a short period of time

with this interesting underglazed pattern.

And it was made between about 1808 and 1811.

So, the Wedgwoods and the Darwins are forever linked.

It wasn't particularly unusual in the Victorian period to marry your first cousin,

but Darwin did wonder whether his children's continued ill health was connected with this.

Indeed, three of his children died young,

two in infancy and his eldest daughter Annie when she was ten years old.

Perhaps that encouraged Darwin

in his interest in health and well-being.

In this, his study, which is well endowed with objects reflecting his scientific interests,

there is a domestic scientific instrument, so as to speak.

It's a weighing machine and with it comes the weighing book,

a ledger which was started by his father, and if we look at these pages,

we can see they're crammed with entries between 1842 and 1847.

It would appear that various children and visitors to the house all reported in to Darwin

to have their weights recorded and sometimes their height.

What is certain, though,

is that Charles Darwin was a devoted family man.

Indeed, even now, you can almost hear the children playing

in the corridor outside his study.

And it's no wonder there was a tremendous clatter and racket

going on with the children out here in the back passage

because Charles Darwin, in 1857,

had the local carpenter John Lewis knock up this thing.

Simply made out of a few planks, it is a stair slide.

And depending on how brave you were as a child,

you'd set it up either with the steepest gradient like this

or by moving it forward and down a block or two, you could make it rather shallower

because if you were a nipper, it would be such fun,

the only problem being you might get a bit of a sore bottom.

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

just how sore are our teams' bottoms about to become?

Well, here we sit in Halls Saleroom in Shrewsbury as happy as can be with Jeremy Lamond.

-Jeremy, lovely to see you.

-Welcome, Tim.

-Thank you very much.

The Red Team have got their first shot in with this cannon.

Well, it should go with a bang.

-Brand-new, isn't it?

-It doesn't look very old from here.

-How much, do you think?

-It should make £20 or £30.

Fine. £25 paid.

Next is the folding cake stand. That is perfectly genuine.

-How much is it worth?

-£20, £30.

-Really? £25 paid.

-Moving on, it's the papier-mache inkwell.

-It's not good, is it?

-No.

-It's transfer-printed round the edge, it's chipped and has the wrong glass in it.

-10 to 15.

-£45 paid.

I fancy this will be their black hole and it will depend on this as to whether they need the bonus buy,

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

Now, John and Ken, last of the big spenders(!) £95 you spent.

Dear, oh dear! £205 went to Claire Rawle. Claire, what did you spend it on?

I didn't spend it all, I'm afraid.

I know you mentioned diamond rings, but this is something else I thought would appeal to you. Ta-da!

-It's a little silver brooch.

-Yes.

-Chester hallmark, 1947.

-I like Chester silver.

-Yeah.

I paid £20 for it which I thought was a good buy.

I would like to see that make nearer £50. It's not a huge profit.

If you can double your money and get more, who cares? That's perfect.

Let's find out, for the audience at home, what the auctioneer thinks about Claire's brooch.

Well, J, there we go. Pretty lightweight, I'm afraid.

Yeah. At first sight, this looks like an Art Nouveau brooch,

1905 sort of period,

but really, this is unusual in that it's a 1940s revival of Art Nouveau.

This is by a chap called Paul Gutfreund

who was based in Kendal in 1947 and this is one of his.

Gosh! What would it be worth then?

-30 to 50, we think.

-That's very friendly.

£20 paid by the Claire Rawle. Clever old Claire!

-Good.

-That's it. It depends on whether they take it or not.

That's it for the Reds. Now for the Blues. We've got the copper kettle.

-Battered, isn't it?

-You see lots of reproductions, but the good news about this is it's all right.

But the bad news is that nobody really likes the polished copper.

-So, £20 or £30.

-OK, £16 paid.

-The Royal Worcester jug...

-On the bottom, it's got a date mark for 1893.

-Mm-hm.

-Shape number 1111.

It's not the sort of Royal Worcester that the collectors want.

They want fruit painted, Highland cattle, Stintons, that sort of thing.

-You're looking at 30 to 50.

-OK, £60 paid. That's not a happy position to be in.

Lastly, it's the hallmarked silver calendar.

People like these. They're quaint. I tried to change the date and I can't, so it's seized at the back.

-How much?

-30 to 50.

OK, fair enough. They paid £25, so that's it.

Overall, not so hot. They'll definitely need their bonus buy, so let's go and have a look at it.

-OK, girls, this is exciting, isn't it?

-Mm-hm.

-Yes, it sure is.

£101 is all you spent.

£199 of leftover lolly you entrusted to your man, our Paul.

So, Paul, what did you spend £199 on?

-Oh, yes!

-That was a better reaction.

Do we know what it is?

-For the table...

-Yeah.

-Salts.

-Condiments.

-What's it made of?

I'd love to say it was silver. We couldn't afford that.

I've bought silver plate. The quality is what sold this to me.

I cannot attribute it. Date-wise, I can tell you it's late 19th century, early 20th century.

It's 100, 110 years old. I can tell you it's probably French or German.

-I like it.

-How much do you think it will make, Paul?

Well, we'll see.

I paid £45 for it, OK?

And I think that's not a bad price. What's it going to make?

It should make 50 to 70.

-I think you've done good, Paul.

-I'm liking your style.

Let's find out, for the audience at home, what the auctioneer thinks about Paul's style.

-Well, there you have it.

-Yeah.

A bit of a mixture, isn't it?

I think looking at the square nature of this stand

that this had a glass, square section bottle cruet in it.

-And in here you've now got...

-Those circular jobs.

-Yeah, salts, really.

Right. How much then?

-30 to 50.

-OK, £45 paid by Paul Laidlaw.

We may be in for a rare event here. That's a bonus buy from Paul Laidlaw not making more than he paid for it.

That would be a first, nearly.

Let's try not to make it a first.

That's all down to you, old boy. Thank you, Jeremy.

Before we look at our Bargain Hunt items, I spotted a lot

that might raise a few eyebrows when it goes under the hammer.

These are handsome, aren't they? The style of these pots is Neoclassical.

Where did these vases come from? If you turn it upside down,

there we can see the magic mark

which is an F for Furstenberg in Germany.

Imagine how excited I was to find them in the auction

with an estimate of £80 to £120.

That means that the auction house reckon that they're late 19th or 20th century copies,

but if somebody picks up the fact that they could be late 18th century,

then the price in the auction in a minute will be very different.

How much different?

Well, they ought to make £1,000. They might make £1,500. Let's wait and see, shall we?

Right then, Ken, Barbie... I mean John!

-LAUGHTER

-How are you two behaving?

-Just, just.

-Just.

-Just about.

-I'm glad to hear it. I wish you well, boys.

-Thanks for that.

I wish you well, Clairey, and your first lot coming up is the cannon

with the Bakelite supports.

Lot 128... Let's see if this goes with a bang.

Who will start me at £20? 20 for the cannon?

£20? 20 bid. At £20.

Where's 2...? At 25 on the internet.

Look at that! We're into profit. Ken, you're a genius.

-28 now.

-28!

-£28.

Internet, you're out. 30.

30. On the internet then at £30. 30.

Selling then to an online bid at £30...

-Good start.

-And good luck to him. Plus £5, that's brilliant.

-Now the folding cake stand.

-Lot 129...

Who'll go £15 on it?

15 for the cake stand? 15, well done. At £15.

18 now. 20? Yes. 22.

25. £25. On the aisle then at 25.

-- 28...

-Look at this!

-- Oh, running away!

30. One more?

-It's a bargain.

-Look at this!

-And all the abuse I've given you!

If it's worth 30, it's worth 32. £30 here then.

On the aisle at £30. Who's got 2? Anybody else?

£30 then for the cake stand. Selling at 30...

Yes, plus £5 on that. So, you have plus 5, plus 5, is plus 10.

Lot 130. Who'll start me at a nice, low tenner?

£10? 10. 12. Yes? 15. 18.

20. 22. 25.

25 on the aisle. At £25, it is.

At 25. Who's got 28?

At £25. Last chance, 25...

£25 is minus £20. You had £10 profit,

which means you're minus 10 overall. Bad luck, chaps.

-If you don't try, you don't get.

-That's true, but it's disappointing.

-What will you do with the brooch? Have a run with that?

-Yes, we think it's a nice item.

-It's a good weight.

-OK, fine.

-Lot 134. Who's going to start me at £20?

-Yes!

20. Nice, little silver brooch.

Designer-made, 1947.

£20. 20 for it.

20. 2. 25. 28. 30.

32. 35. 38.

Yes? 38 right then.

At £38. 38, it is, with you, sir.

On my right at £38.

All finished at 38...?

-Perfect. Plus £18. She saved your bacon.

-Well done.

-She did.

You boys are now plus 8. You're going home with folding money in your pocket.

-The woman sorted you out which is fantastic.

-Marvellous.

-We never had any doubts.

-It could be a winning score. Don't say a word to the Blues.

-No.

-Well done.

-Excellent.

OK, Tara, Veda, this is your moment, darlings.

Is there anything you're worried about, Veda, with what's coming up?

No, with you around, there's nothing to worry about, is there?

First up is your miniature kettle.

Lot 145. Start me at £15 for it, the little kettle?

£15? 15?

Where's my friend? £15?

My friend is on the internet at £15. At 15. 18 if you want?

15 only then. I'm going to sell it.

-I don't believe this!

-Last chance, £15...

-GAVEL BANGS

-Bad luck, Veda.

That's minus £1, sweetie.

No faith in the human race.

Start me at £20 for it? 20? Lot 146 at 20?

£20 is bid. At 20. At £20 in the room.

22 now. 25. 28. 30.

32. 25. 38. 40.

-5. 50.

-Look at this!

-5. 60. 5.

-70.

-Yes!

-70 here then. At £70, it is.

At 70...

He sold that for £70. You're plus 10 on that.

Well done, girls. Unbelievable!

-Lot 147...

-You are plus £9.

-£20 for it?

-Now, the calendar.

-£20? 20 bid on the aisle.

22. Yes? 25.

£25, it is. On the aisle at £25. Anybody else?

28, internet. Yes?

30. £30 now against you, internet.

On the aisle then at £30. All finished at 30?

32, just in time. One more? Go on.

-This is going well!

-One more bid?

-Yeah...

-£32 then, at 32...

Look at that! £32.

That is another £7. All right? Plus £7.

That means you are plus £16 overall. That is marvellous.

What are you going to do about the electroplated table stand and salts?

-We're taking that on definitely, Paul.

-You're taking it on?

-Yeah.

-For certain?

-Yes.

-This is a dead cert, is it? We are united in this?

Yes.

Well, sort of.

Tara, you don't seem so hot about this, sweetie.

-It doesn't matter. Go on.

-You're going to do it?

-Go for it.

-All right then.

-Yes.

-That seems to be a decision then.

-Yeah.

One way or the other. You're going with the bonus buy. You have £16.

-You're risking it for a biscuit.

-Yes.

-Here it comes.

-Why not?

Lot 151. Who'll bid me £30 for them? 30 for the lot?

Table salts and stand. £30? Where's 30?

£30? 30?

30?

20? £20? Start me at £20?

20 is bid. 2 if you want? 22 at the back.

25. 28.

-Go on.

-One more? 30.

32. £32. At the very back of the room at £32...

-GAVEL BANGS

-He sold it for 32.

That is bad luck. So, you are minus £13,

which means overall, you are plus 3. That's £1.50 each.

-Well, it is my birthday today.

-It never is? Is it your birthday?

-Last of the big spenders(!)

-Oh, how sweet! Your mother's just bequeathed you £1.50. That's not bad, is it?

-No.

Do you remember those vases, the Furstenberg vases?

Estimate £80 to £120. Let's find out what they're really worth, shall we?

Various commissions. It's here with me at 70, 80, 90. Starting at 90.

110. 120. 150. 160.

170. 200. 250.

300. 360. Internet bidders.

380. 400. 460.

500. 550.

600. At 600... 650.

£700.

£700 and I'm selling...

£700. How splendido is that! Good old Furstenberg!

-Teams, this has been fun, hasn't it?

-It certainly has.

It's a lovely thing when, on Bargain Hunt, everybody goes home a winner with profits.

And that is what's happening today.

You all go home with cash and there's only a £5 note between you with regard to the score.

So, it's really close and exciting.

And the team that is marginally behind today,

I have to say, are the Blues.

-Oh!

-Which is a dirty shame, isn't it?

We all got very sniffy about your Worcester jug and you made a £10 profit on that,

which was jolly good.

Anyway, you're going to go home, girls, with £3.

That's the £1.50 each.

-Are you pleased about that, Veda?

-Yeah.

-And you're happy too, Tara?

-Yes.

-You let slip that today's your birthday

and Paul has a little something for you behind his back.

-There's your very own birthday cupcake.

-APPLAUSE

Congratulations on your birthday.

But the victors today going home with the magnificent sum of £8...

That's £4 each.

-We won't spend it all at once(!)

-Congratulations to our victors today.

-We've had such fun. Join us soon for more bargain hunting, 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