Lewes 7 Bargain Hunt

Today, we're in the beautiful East Sussex market town of Lewes

where we're going to trot up and down this street,

so let's go bargain hunting!

In the snowy winter of 1836,

Lewes experienced an avalanche,

the deadliest ever recorded anywhere in Britain.

The big question today is, of course,

are our teams going to enjoy a helter-skelter of profits?

Cor, it is hilly round here, isn't it?

On today's show, the Reds think they have a good eye for a bargain,

but they may have to convince a very doubting Thomas.

-It's a seesaw.

-A seesaw?

-It's fun.

-Rocker.

-Don't you want to try it?

-No, I don't want to try it.

I really would advise against it.

And what do you get if you join together a bread board, an air vent and a light bulb?

Someone has stuck a lamp on it.

-And a very excitable Serrell.

-That's got "Serrell" written all over it. I think that's wicked.

But before all is revealed, let's meet the teams.

On the show today, we have a divine mother and daughter duo, Caroline and Perdita,

and for the Blues, we've got old mates Yvette and Sarah.

-Lovely to see you all.

-Hello.

Great. Now, Caroline, it says here that once upon a time, you represented your country at Wembley.

-I did.

-Were you playing football?

-No, no.

-What were you playing?

-Hockey.

-When I was very young.

-When you were very young. Not so very long ago. How old were you when you played?

-Under-18s.

-Under-18s?

-Yeah.

Did you play after you were 18?

-No.

-What happened?

-I gave up. I wanted to do my nursing.

-On the wards?

-A&E. Intensive.

-Really?

-Yeah. Acute...

-The stressful bit?

-Yeah.

-What do you do right now?

-I work in retail.

-Same sort of thing really(!)

-Another scrum.

-Possibly!

-Do you enjoy it?

-I love it.

Perdita, your name has a Shakespearean whiff about it.

-Yeah.

-Very unusual, very pretty.

Thank you. Perdita means "the lost one". I've been travelling a bit.

Tell us where you've been.

Most recently, I've moved back from Cambodia. Before that, Africa, Malawi, Botswana.

I lived in Mexico and Reunion.

-You're a professional traveller. This is the gap year stretched to five years.

-Exactly.

-Which place have you enjoyed in all your travels most?

-My favourite place would be Botswana.

-Aren't the youth today lucky to dip those toes into so many places?

-Absolutely.

-So have you two girls got similar tastes?

-Extremely similar.

-So we're not going to have any disagreements on Bargain Hunt today.

-No.

-Well...

-There you go!

-"We've got similar tastes, but we are going to disagree!"

-As long as we both get our own way.

-I see.

-This could be the battle of the wills today. It's lovely to meet you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you for joining us. Well, well, well! Yvette...

-Yes.

-You two met at school.

-Hmm.

-Aged 11.

-Was it love at first sight?

-No, it wasn't.

-What happened?

-We had a fight in the playground.

-What, 11-year-olds?

-Yes, Sarah put a snowball in my face.

-Something like that.

-So I did a judo throw on her. I'd just started judo.

-Lovely(!)

-And we've been friends ever since.

-You're not normally a violent type?

-No, no.

-You're a practising nurse?

-I am. Mainly elderly, but not always.

-Ever tried A&E?

I haven't. Only when I was training.

-You thought, "That's enough!"

-I didn't get on so well in A&E because I like a strict routine.

-So you like your routine?

-I like my routine, yes.

-Sarah, it says you're very creative.

-Yes.

-Tell us about your creativity.

I'm an artist and painter.

I'm developing a process which is quite challenging, painting on silk.

-And do you sell too?

-Yes, I like to. I'd like to, yes.

-You're also a keen collector?

-The house is full of stuff.

-Fossils?

-Yes, I've collected fossils since I was a child.

-And coins?

-And coins.

-And vintage porcelain?

-And vintage porcelain.

-Sometimes embroidery?

-Embroidery.

I think we're getting the message here.

-Will you spend all the cash or keep a bit by? What's the plan?

-If we need to spend, we will.

-On that happy note, I shall produce £300. There we go, £300 apiece.

-Thank you.

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

Painting on silk, eh? Nothing nicer.

-PLAYS TUNE

-Oh, what a racket!

Let's hope Thomas Plant can get in tune with the Reds.

Ha! Well, today may be the day

when Philip Serrell reveals his true self to the Blues.

But let's hope not, eh?

-In it to win it.

-In it to win it?

-In it to win it.

-Do you know anything about antiques?

-No.

-Well, that makes three of us.

-LAUGHTER

Are you going to spend or not spend?

-We'd quite like to spend, wouldn't we?

-Yes...

However, sometimes you get a better profit if you spend little.

That all seems very informative. Let's get something bought.

Yeah, get off the street and get into those shops.

Come on.

I'm sure something will jump out at us.

Nothing will ever jump out.

It'll never, ever jump.

You have to root, you have to dive.

Quite right, Thomas. He's like a fountain of wisdom, that boy.

-Can you lift it?

-Of course I can lift it. Super-strength Plant!

Yes, got it.

So what you've got is a cast-iron water fountain with a lion's head on there

and it's just marvellous for somebody's garden.

-How old is it? It's probably 1920s, but what a piece!

-It is lovely.

-Is that the kind of thing you'd have in your garden?

-No.

-I would, definitely.

-Why don't you like it? This is quite heavy.

-Can you just turn it round, so we can see it a bit more?

Perdita, are you testing Thomas's strength or what?

-You're not giving it any love.

-I'm not loving it.

-My eyes are telling me "no".

-Let's move on. We can ask about it later.

I wonder what WILL catch Perdita's eye?

It's just like Serrell to be using such a spellbinding tactic. He's such a toad.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Do you like that?

-Yes.

I think it's just a bit of fun.

It's a paperweight, a marble base, and this is probably bronze.

-It's sweet.

-I just think he's fun.

-He's anatomically correct.

-He's also expensive.

-Oh, OK.

-It's £78.

-I think that at auction, it'll make between 40 and 80 quid, but bear that in mind.

-Can I have a feel?

-Yeah, yeah.

-Do you think we could try and get the price down?

-You need to get it down a lot.

We like this. We definitely like this.

-I do like that book-rest. I wonder how much it is?

-Yes, I like the book...

-Oh, yes.

Phil's spotted a rather distinctive mouse sitting on a bookshelf.

It's by the British furniture-maker Robert Thompson, AKA The Mouseman.

-Do you really like that?

-I do.

-Yeah, we really love it.

-So if we could do a deal...

-Yes.

It's got 285.

That would be a huge chunk of our money even if we got it down.

What might be the very best on this? Can we get that down to 200?

I'll give him a ring. I don't know if he'd go as low as 200, but I'll give him a ring, see what he says.

We're going to have a wander round.

Could you keep those two for us and tell us what the absolute finito...

-We're poor, times are hard.

-We're running out of time.

-Lovely girls.

-I've never heard this before!

-I know.

Nice try, Phil, but this dealer has got your number.

We're now 15 minutes in and no-one has bought anything.

-I wish that they were matching.

-A pair?

-That would be nice.

Let's carry on. You might see some other things which you might like more.

Are those Reds giving you some trouble, Thomas?

-It suits you.

-It doesn't suit me.

-Maybe it could be like your parrot and just perch.

-Is this a "no"?

-I think it is a "no".

-Something we could come back to?

-Maybe. Let's go to the next shop.

-Not for today.

Let's just go. Come along.

Watch out, Perdita. You know an elephant never forgets.

Girls, tactics time. If he comes back and says you can have the two for 260, 270 quid, what will you do?

-Yes or no?

-Yes, I'd like to...

-Yes?

And then buy something, if you don't mind us leaving you with very little.

I've been left with very little before.

-A very generous 200 quid.

-Oh!

That's got to be 60 quid, that one.

-I tell you what I think you should do. Which do you like best out of the two?

-I like them both.

-What about if we had both for 250?

-Yes.

-OK, 250.

-Yes.

-So that's £200 for the book-rest and 50 quid for the froggy-dog.

-Yes.

-We're very happy.

-I'll hold your rodents.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-So you would buy this, would you?

-I would pay £200 for it.

-That's good because you just have!

-Oh, yeah.

-Yeah, we have.

Let's hope we have some rodent-lovers at the auction.

Well done. You've steamed into the lead with two items.

Let's step out on to the high street because I've got something to show you.

When was the last time you saw one of these? Isn't that marvellous?

It looks like an eccentrically large match. Well, it ain't.

It's a piece of beechwood that's been lacquered

and then a pig of lead stuck on the end.

This is something that is called a priest

for humanely and quickly putting a fish that you caught to eat out of its misery.

And you do that by giving it a dab just behind the gills.

This particular example, I reckon, has been about for 150 years.

On the same subject, in the next-door shop, I came across this fella.

Well, this isn't a priest.

It actually is a bit of Irish folk art.

Down this end, it's got a knobbly, hard, well-worn rough bit

and down this end, it's beautifully smooth -

smooth because it's been in the palm of somebody's hand for a very long period of time,

possibly the top end of 150 years.

It was used technically as a walking stick

for a very short person, probably a leprechaun,

but if you had a bit of trouble on the street, you could use it to bash somebody on the back of the neck.

That says what this thing is in Ireland.

It's a shillalah which is a combo club-cum-walking stick.

Well, I reckon in a specialist Irish sale,

this thing could be worth the top end of £200 to £300,

but here in Lewes, it could be yours for a mere 50.

And the priest?

He could be yours for £10.

Top of the morning to you!

Now, back to the job in hand.

-Thomas! It's a seesaw.

-Seesaw?

-It's fun.

-Rocker.

-Don't you want to try it?

-No, I don't. It's for children.

-We do.

It's £145.

-What did you think? 45?

-My goodness! Yes.

-It's 145.

-"The next lot is lot 15A and this is the 1950s...

-Seesaw. And the international bidders..."

-No international bidders.

-On the telephone.

-No.

-You said you wanted to win.

-We do.

-Do you think this is a winning item at 145?

-It might be.

-It might be? Come on.

-We'll look.

I think you two should listen to Thomas on this one.

Now, Caroline and Perdita, what have you spotted this time?

-What have you...

-Something else for you to dislike here.

I don't dislike everything.

So this is the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton...

Yeah, that's all right. You've got prices of a pound and a shilling.

-Who found this?

-I found it.

-We both found it.

-I found it first.

You are selling in Eastbourne, but what's very interesting is the date.

-First World War?

-First World War. I like that.

-46.50.

-I like that.

I think if we had the right person there who really wanted it, I think they would maybe pay...60 to 80?

Very good. I think it's a good thing.

I think it's worth about £30.

That's what I believe it's worth with the water staining.

-Who's going to do the negotiations?

-We'll do it together.

-Can we both do it?

-Of course you can.

You need to talk to the dealer. Now, a little tip - don't mention a figure. See what they come up with.

He's giving away trade secrets again.

-Off you go.

-Now, with so much time left and two items bought,

have the Blues stopped off for a cuppa?

-And you're trying to get me to buy that?

-Come on.

-No, no, no.

-OK, no...

-I'm now going to insist that you buy it.

-No, no, no.

No, because, look, it's not what I want. It's what you want.

-If you have a complete lacking of taste that you want to buy something like that...

-No.

No, no, no, come on. No, I'm only teasing you.

Were you, Philip? Let's be honest now.

Right, it is...46.50.

We thought that had probably just been written down wrongly.

-Did you?

-Yes.

-No, it hasn't.

-Maybe just quickly.

-Oh, no, it hasn't.

-OK, right, 41.

-Still maybe it's been written a bit wrongly.

- I'll have to make a phone call. - Would you?

Cor, these two are very determined, but the clock's still ticking.

Now, it looks as though Philip has seen the light.

-Do you honestly like that?

-I love that.

-I thought it was me - bonkers!

There's the stand and this is the cowl.

That's got "Serrell" written all over it, that has.

-It's wonderful.

-So what we've got here is a bread board!

Someone has stuck a lamp on it.

I think that's wicked. I'd buy that.

What I think we ought to do is take this upstairs.

-Let's put it all out, see what we've got, see what it does and take it from there.

-Yeah.

-All right?

-Good plan.

-Good plan.

I don't know how he does it. It looks like he's already sold a bread board to the Blues.

This dealer will have to be pretty tough to survive these two.

38.

It's getting written more correctly.

-That's as good as it gets.

-That's the absolute bottom?

-No possibility of...?

-Rounding it off at five?

I'll split the difference with you at 36.

-Done.

-You're a star.

-Done.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you very much.

Congratulations. Well done. That was a double pincer action.

-First item...

-Done.

-Move on.

-I think there's profit in that.

-I hope so.

-Is there enough money for the seesaw?

-No money for the seesaw.

Perdita, stop being so pushy.

-We're at the halfway mark and you Reds still have two items left to find.

-This way!

-I'll put the bread board there.

-The bread board there, yeah.

-Lord above!

-Is it really heavy?

-No.

So, Sarah, Yvette, let's take a closer look at this thing.

-We've got a cowl that's probably galvanised metal.

-Yeah.

It's an air vent off a roof,

probably 1920s, 1930s, perhaps even a bit later.

I would guess this has come off an agricultural building.

It might even have come off a chicken shed or something, just to vent fresh air in.

He's then put a bread board underneath it

with a socket on there.

-In a way, I wouldn't even mind if they threw that away and we just sold this.

-Yeah.

Because I think this is what we're buying.

Now, the issue for me is that it's priced up at 120 quid.

-I just hope it was off that stall that said everything was half-price.

-I'm sure it was.

You want to try and leave me something. If you can leave me a fiver or a pound or...

-Yes.

-I don't know what I'll find for £1.

-We've got 50.

-You've got 50 quid left.

-We really need to get it under 50.

-It'll be you and the dealer.

No pressure there then(!) Oh, look.

Caroline and Perdita have found something that reflects their personalities.

So you've got a mirror here which is in chrome with a bevelled edge, which is a triptych mirror.

That's because it's got three sides or panels.

Do you know what's even better? It's a travelling one.

That folds on there and that folds in on itself, then that clips on there like that - comme ca.

You can even hang it up.

-How old would that be?

-It's not going to be that old.

-It's going to be 1920s?

-OK.

-1930s?

-How much is that?

-44.

-Can we make a profit?

-You need to halve that.

-It needs to be 20 quid.

-Let's look in the rest of the shop.

-Can we come back to that?

-We haven't got much time.

-No.

-You've bought one thing.

-Yes, but one great thing.

-One great thing. Come on.

I'm not sure I'd say that, but we're now in the final quarter of the hour

and there's plenty of hard negotiating still to be done.

-Hello.

-Hiya.

Well, we need to see how low you can go on this because we haven't got much money.

-So you need to be very good to us.

-Again?

-Again.

-If possible.

-So to leave him five, you'd have to buy that for 45 quid.

- It's half-price anyway. - Yeah, it's 60.

- 45 quid then. It gives him a fiver. - Yes.

-Any way we can do that?

-We'll do that, yeah.

-OK, thank you.

-Wonderful.

-Thank you.

-We've spent all the money.

-Thank you.

Now, that is what I like to hear. Well done, you two.

Now, Reds, you've got ten minutes to buy two items, so buck up.

Sussex Pottery. That's £58.

-That's a possibility.

-I quite like that one.

-That's a possibility.

Sussex Rustic Ware, Rye Miniature - £58.

-That kind of thing, in a local sale room, could do well. You could have a profit in that.

-It's quite sweet.

-Shall we ask about that?

-What do you want to do? £58 is not expensive.

-I want to look around and see if there's something else.

-You've got your mirror.

-We've got the mirror.

-Yes.

-And if we went for both...

-Then you've got heaps of money.

-I've got heaps of money. I thought you would buy expensive things.

-So did I. It's terribly disappointing.

-Shall I go and ask about this?

-Yeah.

-We've hardly got any time.

-Let's ask about this and the mirror.

-What happened?

-We've got it.

-What for?

-45.

-I think that's wicked.

-Do you?

-That's absolutely wicked.

-When you think it was originally 120...

-Yeah, it's just a wicked piece of kit.

-It is, isn't it?

-I wouldn't be surprised if it made £100 at the auction.

-Really?

-I wouldn't be surprised if it made 15 quid.

-OK.

-It's that sort of thing.

-Yes.

That's what I love about you, Philip. You always keep it real.

I've just spoken to the chap and he said it could be 40 quid.

-Oh!

-There we are.

-And the mirror?

-How much is that?

-Well, it's 44.

-34.

-Let's just do it.

-We're doing it.

-You're just going to do it?

-You've had a little win on that.

-Yes, exactly.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

-So you've spent hardly anything. You've spent all under £50 per item.

-Yes.

So it's all up to you to bring it home.

Cor, I feel your pain, Thomas.

Right, that's it. The hour's up. Let's check out what the Red Team bought, right?

The Reds turned a crisis into a drama

with this World War One period theatre poster.

After some to-ing and fro-ing, they got it for £36.

Then after a moment's reflection,

they opted for this Edwardian dressing table mirror - £34 paid.

And at the same time, they poured out £40

on a miniature Rye Pottery jug.

-Are you happy with your shop?

-Yeah.

-You're disappointed you didn't spend it all.

-We could have been happier.

-We weren't allowed to.

-LAUGHTER

-We weren't permitted.

Am I picking up that somebody's been a bit bossy here?

-Bossy?

-Oppressive.

-Oppressive. OK, fine.

-Not at all.

-Dictatorial?

-Yes!

-Yes!

-Ah, yes.

-Exactly!

-No good you doing this.

-I've never been described as dictatorial or bossy.

-OK, girls, in this lovely shaft of sunshine, you had a good shop?

-Yes.

-Which is your favourite piece, Caroline?

-The poster.

-Do you agree?

-No, mine was the seesaw.

-The seesaw is favourite.

-But we didn't buy the seesaw!

-OK, of what you DID buy?

-The poster.

-That's a relief.

-Yep.

-Will it bring the biggest profit?

-Yes!

-No!

-So which will?

-The pottery.

-OK, fine.

-And you spend how much in total?

-110.

-How much?

-110.

-I know.

Because we didn't get to buy what we wanted!

I think we better drop it there. 110 is a paltry amount.

-£190 of leftover lolly, please.

-Yes.

-Who's got that?

-I'm not sure that he can be trusted with it.

No, OK. Unfortunately, the rules mean I have to give it to him...

-You know what you're meant to do!

-I'm not going to do it!

This has been an interesting shopping experience.

While you bicker about this, we're going to check out what the Blue team bought.

The Blues have high hopes for this little bronze toad on a black marble paperweight.

They hopped to it and paid £50.

Then they thought this Mouseman oak desktop could carve out a profit,

but the price was high at £200.

And the vintage industrial lamp was so Serrell at £45.

-So you've left me a fiver.

-Yes.

-We have every hope in you to make a profit.

-I think that's so cool,

leaving the maestro with only a fiver to go for. So £295 very well spent.

-Did you enjoy it, Yvette?

-Brilliant. Yeah, great fun.

-Sarah?

-Loved it.

-Good for you, kids. Now you spent 295. Which is your favourite piece?

We bought a beautiful, heavy marble paperweight with a bronze frog on the top.

-You're pleased with that?

-We're pleased with all three items.

-Which will bring the biggest profit?

-The Mouseman.

-Yes, the Mouseman.

-Is it? So who's got this miserable £5 note?

-I have.

Thank you, Sarah. You're very kind. Well, not really. There we go.

I see that as maybe half a pint and a couple of Cornish pasties.

As a rule, I'm used to a lot more than this.

Whatever are you going to do? We'll find out.

Good luck with that. Meanwhile, I'm going to immerse myself in the wonderment of a Jacobean mansion

just outside Birmingham. Oo-ah!

You might be surprised to learn that just a short kick from the Aston Villa football ground

in Birmingham, one of Britain's greatest industrial cities, sits a grand 17th-century house.

Completed in 1635, Aston Hall was the realisation

of a proud dream from Sir Thomas Holte, a wealthy baronet.

But in 1643, just eight years after its completion,

Sir Thomas's elegant home and gardens became a battleground

in the bloody English Civil War.

1642 saw the beginning of hostilities between the Royalist supporters of King Charles I,

who dominated the north and west of England, and the Roundheads,

the Republican parliamentary forces who controlled the south and east.

The following year, the Civil War was in full swing and as the two sides battled for power,

poor old Aston Hall in Birmingham was left piggy in the middle.

Sir Thomas's loyalties lay with the crown. So much so that he asked the King for help

in defending his home

and on the 18th of December, 1643,

forty Royalist musketeers were detailed to defend the house.

They were soon outnumbered, though, by the Parliamentary forces.

In fact, it only took three days for the Parliamentarians to weed out those Royalists

and the Parliamentarians in laying siege had some cannon.

Things called saker cannon, which were used on naval vessels and land,

and they would fire a solid cannon ball and it's thought that a ball like this

entered the house and flew across the landing here and shattered that solid oak newel post.

All of this was too much for the Royalists and they capitulated.

The amazing thing is, though, that in the 360-odd years

they never got around to repairing the staircase.

In fact, Sir Thomas had proved his loyalty to the crown earlier

because on the 18th October, 1642, he gave King Charles accommodation

here at Aston Hall.

He spent the night here before the fateful battle at Edgehill.

Soon after the execution of Charles I in 1649

Sir Thomas was imprisoned and fined nearly £7,000 by the new Republican government.

And this cabinet is known in the family as the King Charles cabinet.

Hopefully not because they think it's a Charles I cabinet, which it isn't.

This cabinet was made in the reign of Charles II

and was supposedly presented to the family in gratitude for their loyalty to the crown.

That could all be apocryphal.

What is true, though, is that this is a magnificent Charles II cabinet.

What we have are two niches, these black ebony veneered recesses

that might originally have had some gilt bronze statues in them.

They're flanked by pilasters and at the top of each pilaster

is a little capital.

All within an entablature with a broken pediment.

And in the middle of that pediment are the royal coat of arms, probably added later.

If I open up the doors of the centrepiece,

it reveals yet more treasures and delights. Look at that.

A richly gilt pillared and mirrored central tabernacle,

flanked by red tortoiseshell and ivory veneered drawers.

Over the years, we've seen several of these cabinets,

but I can't recall one that's got quite such a detailed central section.

The whole thing is set off by a parquetry of ivory and king wood,

but done in perspective to deceive your eye.

The big question today at the auction is are our teams about to be deceived?

Today we find ourselves in the delightful Eastbourne Auction Rooms with auctioneer Paul Achilleous.

-Good morning, Paul.

-Morning, Tim.

First up for the Blues is the Wolverhampton theatre poster.

Sometimes these posters are bright and breezy, right? This one is brown and black

and has to be the least eye-catching theatre poster I've ever seen.

-It's not that exciting, is it?

-It's a specialist thing. What do you think it's worth?

-We've put 40-60 on it.

-OK. They paid £36. You're predicting a profit. That's what this is about.

-Fair enough. What about this dressing table folding mirror?

-Nice mirror. Could do with a polish.

-Dates from when? About 1910? 1920?

-1920 I would say.

I don't do much in the way of makeup. Do you do much makeup?

Cos if you do, you can angle those mirrors to make quite sure your earrings are on correctly.

-What do you think it's worth?

-We've put 30-50.

-They paid £34.

And their third item is a bit of pottery that ought to do incredibly well. It's a bit of Rye pottery.

I guess you sell this all the time.

We do. It's not the best example in the world. The more desirable pieces have normally hops or corn,

foliage. More decorative. But it's a nice little example.

An entry level piece.

-What's the entry level price, then?

-30-50.

-£40 paid. So they're pretty close all round,

even though I've been a bit snarky. They may need their bonus buy, so let's look at it.

OK, girls, you spent a measly £110. You gave Thomas £190.

Did he blow the lot on something divine, rare, extraordinary? Thomas, show us.

Look at that, girls. Isn't that exquisite?

-You look underwhelmed!

-Well, it's not a seesaw!

-I was never buying you that seesaw!

-It's very pretty.

-It is.

-Oh, it's "quite pretty". Silver.

With beautiful enamel on there and those fabulous little four-leaf clovers.

-It's continental.

-That's lovely.

-It is good quality.

-How much?

-£20!

-20?

-Yeah.

-Is that all?

-That all.

-How old is it?

-I would say no older than 1920.

-I think you've done quite well.

-No...

-Quite well.

-I'll take that.

-This is faint praise.

We're quite impressed.

-Happy, girls?

-Yeah, we are.

-Ask him how much profit.

-How much?

-That's a double your money job. 40 quid, I reckon.

-Yes, yes.

Meanwhile, why don't we find out what the auctioneer thinks about Tom's little spoon?

That's a pretty colour pink.

Very nice, Tim. Would have come as part of a set originally.

£20 paid by that Thomas Plant. What do you reckon it'll bring?

We've put 20-30 on it.

Well, he might get out of trouble if the team decide to go with it.

Now for the Blues. First up for them is the little toad paperweight,

-which I think probably is late-19th century.

-I would agree. Possibly up to the '20s.

-Are these popular at auction?

-Not particularly. Bronzes used to be very popular, but not these days.

-So how much then?

-Possibly £20 or £30.

-OK, £50 paid. So it's turned out to be a little toad.

Looking up, though, we move on to the Thompson Mouseman bookshelf.

-It's a nice example. Always very popular.

-How much?

-We'll do 100-150.

-£200 they paid.

-So they're a bit light on that, but you never can tell.

-We've probably been conservative.

And, lastly, the eccentric Philip Serrell purchase,

which is a galvanised tin or zinc ventilator, turned into a lamp.

Interesting to say the least, Tim.

It looks like an old breadboard and somebody's put a lamp on it.

-It's called recycling.

-Certainly is.

Industrial items are fairly popular with interior designers.

-They use them for decoration purposes.

-And typical Serrell.

-He paid £45. Can he possibly turn a profit?

-Possibly. We think possibly 50-80.

You're a brave man. Who knows what will happen?

They'll probably need their bonus buy, so let's have a look at it.

Well, girls, you spent a magnificent £295.

You gave the Silver Fox a £5 note. Phil, what did you do with it?

I was going to buy a cheese sandwich but I hadn't got enough money,

-so I bought that.

-Oh. A ruler.

A sweet little boxwood ruler. I thought it was quite sweet. It was a fiver.

-Bear in mind that was all I had.

-Yes. We were very mean, weren't we?

-But much loved, I'd say.

-I think it's much loved.

-Also, more importantly, much collected.

-Do you think we'll make a profit?

-If that doesn't make a profit, I'll give up.

-OK.

-As a rule, they do.

-Yes.

-Thank you. On that happy note, why don't we check out what the auctioneer thinks of Phil's rule?

-OK, Paul. How do you get on with these scientific instruments?

-Pretty well, normally.

-This is quite a plain one, though.

-I would say that's probably 1930s, 1940s, wouldn't you?

-I would agree.

-A solid bit of boxwood. Beautifully done. How much?

-We've put £15-£20 on this.

-OK, £5 paid by Serrell.

-That should be a good bonus buy if the team decide to go with it. Good luck in the auction.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

-Caroline and Perdita, how are you feeling?

-Confident.

-Confident. Excited.

-It's lovely to be at the auction.

-Exactly.

-You can't beat these places. You've got the theatre poster, which I've been rude about

-because it's dull and brown.

-It's old!

-I know, but I'm off it.

But the auctioneer likes it. He thinks 40-60.

On the other hand, you've got the lovely pink spoon.

-If you need it. He done good on that.

-If we pick it.

If you pick it. You're such a tease. But the first lot coming up is the poster. Here it comes now.

The WWI period theatre poster. Start this at £20.

Here on commission at 20. I'll take two. Five. Eight.

30. Two. Five. Eight. 40. Two?

Yes! Yes!

At £40 the bid. Anyone else at 40?

All done at 40?

-I'm wrong. You made £4 profit.

-Go, Team Us.

The Edwardian triptych dressing table mirror. At £32.

I'll take five from you.

- At 32. Surely worth more. - No, more...

-Anyone else? 35 bid. 35.

-Excellent.

Take eight from you now. All done on this bid, then.

-£35 is plus £1.

-Yes!

The miniature Rye pottery jug. There it is.

Shall we start at £30? I'll take another two.

32, sir. At 32. Bid's in front of me.

-Here at 32.

-No!

-It's worth more.

-Exactly.

-Who'll go five for it?

At £32 only. Anyone else? All done and selling, then.

Uh-oh. £32 is minus £8.

-You had £5.

-We were doing so well. If only we hadn't listened to the expert

-and bought the seesaw.

-Hang on! You wanted to buy a seesaw.

-It would have made hundreds.

-Don't be so ridiculous.

-Hang on. You just lost £8.

-Overall, you're minus £3. Now what about the silver spoon? Are you going with it?

-Yes.

-We'll give Thomas another chance.

-Give him a break, poor boy.

OK, we're going with the bonus buy. Here it comes.

The continental 925 grade silver spoon with pink enamel decoration. There it is.

At £15. 18. 20. Two. Five.

Eight? Go one more. At £25. I'll take six, if it helps.

-Go on.

-26, he says. At 26.

-I'll take seven.

-Well, you're in profit.

-27 with the lady. 28.

-Yes!

I can't go 50p. At £27.

-It's a quality item.

-I'll take eight. 27. Lady's bid.

That is plus £7. Well done, Tom. You've redeemed yourself.

You are overall, girls, plus £4.

What could be sweeter than that? You've been on the rollercoaster

-and you've come up in the black.

-Yeah.

-Even though you're Reds.

-Considerably(!)

Don't say a word to those Blues. Keep that on the old QT.

-Now Sarah, Yvette, do you know how the Reds got on?

-No.

-Excellent.

-Is there anything you wish you hadn't bought?

-I think we may have spent a lot of money,

-too much money, on everything.

-In retrospect.

-On everything?

-I'm slightly worried.

-You spent 295.

-Yes.

-You invested.

-Yes...

-To speculate is to accumulate. Right?

-Hopefully.

If all else fails, you've got the triangular-shaped ruler for £5 to fall back on.

I'm very proud of you girls. It's great that you've invested

and taken the trouble to give it a bit of a spin with nearly all your cash. And why not?

First lot up is your little toad. What a lovely thing that is.

Paperweight surmounted with a bronze toad. Nice example, this.

Double bids here. We start this at 55 on commission. Straight in at 55.

-I'll take 60.

-He's in profit before we've started.

At £60 only. Where's another five? 65.

£70. 75. 80's bid.

Five, is it? 85. 90.

-Five, is it?

-It's going to double its money. Look at his face.

Deadpan.

At 95. 100 rounds it off. At 100.

At £100. 105. 110.

-It hasn't stopped!

-115 on the 'net.

120 may I say? Go on, don't let him have it.

115 here. Try one more. 120 is bid.

-He likes it!

-He really likes it!

At 120. Room bidder has it again.

At 120.

-Well done, Phil!

-Wow!

That is fantastic, isn't it? That is plus £70.

Here comes your book trough.

Nice little book rest, this. Has the mouse. At £80. Take five.

And five is bid. And 90.

90, your bid. At £90. And five is bid.

100, round it off. 100 is bid. Go on, 120. 115, then.

-115 it is. At 115.

-We're going to lose all our money!

120. 125? Go on, go another fiver.

Another fiver. 125. 130, is it? 130. Go on.

-One more. No?

-Come on!

Are we all done? I let it go on this bid. 130.

I can't believe it! £130 is minus 70!

You had the 70 and then you lost the 70!

How terrible is that? Now hang on a minute.

There it is. Double bids here. We start again at £40.

-Look out for this, girls.

-At 45. The industrial look there.

-Wiped its face.

-Is there eight?

-Go on.

-At 45, then.

All done and letting it go now.

-45.

-Oh, £45. It wiped its face.

-You made no profit.

-Nothing!

-At the end of the day you've got absolutely nothing!

How can this be? This is not right somehow.

-I've seen some ups and down! Are you going to go with the ruler for a £5 note?

-Yes!

You're going with it? Fine. A wise move.

The English 12-inch divided boxwood pyramid rule. There it is, look.

-Again, due to conflicting bids, straight in here at 15.

-He's tripled his money.

18. And 20. And two? 20 still on commission.

-£20 only. Anyone else coming in?

-You're going home with money!

-All done. 20.

-£20. Well done, Phil. £20 is plus £15.

That is a sweet note to finish on. Don't say a word to the Reds.

Well, well, well. Have we had fun? We have had a rollercoaster of fun today! It's been fab.

Both teams have done extraordinarily well. Both teams know it,

but one team is marginally behind.

-And that team, in the profit stakes, are the Reds.

-Aww!

-Sorry, Reds.

-You've got a profit.

-A profit!

-Plus £4 you have.

There you go. There's your £4. £2 for Perdita, £2 for your mother.

-Try not to spend it all at once.

-Just nicked my best line, thank you.

-Did you have a nice time?

-We did.

-What about you, Ma?

-Wonderful.

-Was it good for you, Tom?

-It was ecstatic.

-You've taken flak.

It's been an interesting experience, but it's been an enriching one.

OK, guys, we've loved having you,

but the victors today with a resounding £15 profit are the Blues.

Here you are, darling. Take that. It was all going splendidly. They made £70, then lost £70.

Then they made nothing at all, then Philip Serrell rode into the fray

and made them £15 on his £5 item.

-So it has been truly a rollercoaster today. Did you have a good time?

-Wonderful.

-We loved having you.

-Why don't you join us soon for some 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