Wetherby 17 Bargain Hunt

To Wetherby or not to Wetherby, now, that is the question.

Well, we're here at the racecourse and ready for a flutter,

so let's go bargain hunting, yeah!

Today, we're at the racecourse in Wetherby.

They've been horsing around here,

including the racing, for over 120 years,

but our teams today only have one hour to find their three items

with 300 of these fellas.

Now, let's see how they've got on, shall we?

'In today's programme, the Reds have started early on the moonshine.'

-Come on! Irish coffee for breakfast?

-Why not?

-'The Blues are a couple of jokers.'

-"I'm sorry, Ollie!

-Another fine mess you've got me into!"

'And later on at auction, the tension starts to build.'

35, 40.

GAVEL BANGS

Look at that! 'But first up, let's meet the teams.'

On the show today, we've got two teams of couples.

We've got Kay and Paul for the Reds

and Esther and Hossein for the Blues.

-Hello, everyone.

-Hello.

-Lovely to see you. Kay, how did you two meet?

-We met at work. We sat side by side and I thought I might scoop him up.

-Did you?

-Yeah, like a bargain.

-What company were you working at?

-A computer company in Bradford.

-Are you a bit of a computer buff?

-Not at all. I run a wedding shop now.

That's my thing. And I've child-minded for eight years.

-When you got married, that was unusual.

-Yeah. Paul never knew he was getting married.

He thought he was going scuba-diving. I booked it at Gretna Green.

We got halfway there and I got him to propose to me. I said, "Can we get married anywhere?" He said, "Yes."

-I said, "Tomorrow morning, ten o'clock. Your suit's over there."

-I don't believe it.

-It's true.

-You're an organised girl.

-I am.

-Brilliant.

-So, Paul, you collect toys.

-I do. A lot of people would say that was one of the reasons we had children,

-so that I can get the toys that I want.

-Really?

Yes, you often catch me playing out on the street with my children with the go-karts and the Heelys.

-All the stuff you wanted to do as a kid.

-That I weren't allowed.

-Yeah.

-Now you let them do anything.

-That's it.

-Have you got any tactics between you today?

Paul will nod and say "yes". I'll keep my hands on the money.

-You're going to do what you're told.

-Of course.

-Quite right. It's the secret to a happy marriage.

-Yeah.

-We'll look forward to that and very good luck.

-Thank you.

So, Esther, how did you and Hossein meet?

We actually met in a casino, of all places.

We both worked in catering at the time and we finished quite late at night.

It was the only kind of place to go that was quiet, no bouncing music and just relaxing.

-Yeah, just to wind down.

-That's it.

Out of winding down came love. What could be nicer than that?

-Now, you speak Farsi.

-Yeah.

-Tell us about that.

We went to Iran for six months and I got sick of not understanding what he was talking about.

I kept hearing my name pop into the conversation, so I wanted to know what he was talking about.

What's "let's go bargain hunting" in Farsi?

SHE SPEAKS IN FARSI, HE CORRECTS HER

See, I messed it up!

That's not bad, is it? It's nice and short.

ATTEMPTS PHRASE IN FARSI

THEY REPEAT PHRASE

What do you do now you're here in England?

I am a chef. I make pizzas for a famous restaurant.

Do you like the crispy ones or the deep-filled jobs?

I like the crispy ones because that's what I make.

-I like the crispy ones. Do you like the crispy ones?

-They're good.

-Do you like the crispy ones?

-Yeah.

-I like the crispy ones. Who likes the deep ones?

-Have you got any tactics, you two?

-We'll just have a good browse. I'd like to see if I could find a bronze.

-You'd like a bronze.

-Yeah.

-Hossein, what about you?

I look for quirky things. Maybe jewellery.

-Something from the Middle East?

-Perhaps.

-If it's the right price?

-If it's the right price, definitely.

-You'd be good at the old haggling?

-So they say, yes.

-There we go.

-I might have to rein him in.

-The stallholders had better watch out.

-Yes, indeed.

Now the money moment - £300 apiece. There's £300.

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

Mozzarella and tomato?

And next up, it's time to meet our experts.

Can she score a hat-trick for the Reds? It's Natasha Raskin.

And tuning up for the Blues, it's fellow Scot Paul Laidlaw.

Don't give up the day job, eh, buddy?

Kay, Paul, a married couple, but we're about to find out who wears the trousers.

-Kay, what are you looking for?

-Something unusual, something pretty.

-Esther, Hossein, what are we looking for?

-I'd like to find some bronzes.

-Bronzes?

-Yeah.

-You're setting the benchmark kind of high!

-Well, maybe some spelter.

-Paul, what are you thinking?

-I'm thinking what Kay thinks.

-Is that the way it always goes?

-Yeah.

OK, Kay, you take the lead.

-Hailing from the Middle East, you can haggle?

-Yes.

I'm going to do my best to buy cheap and sell it expensive.

-This sounds like a good team and a good plan. Let's go.

-Let's go.

I think we've established who wears the trousers for the Reds - Kay.

It always catches my eye, something that sparkles.

OK, this lovely urn known as a samovar.

-Possibly a distil?

-Possibly, yeah. She has got drinking on the mind.

Oh, my goodness! It's 11 o'clock in the morning.

-Come on, Irish coffee for breakfast? Hmm!

-Why not?

So it's for dispensing drinks. We were talking about something liquid-based.

For £10, genuinely, it's a great price, but I think we're talking gamble territory.

At auction, I wouldn't expect that to make much more than £10, £15. We're already spending £10 on it.

It's a great thing. I like that you've gone with your gut

and you've gone right over to it, but I think we're gambling.

Are you a hard-liner or might you be the kind of lady that would compromise on price?

-I would compromise.

-Well, Esther...

- I'm interested in your Whitefriars. - Right.

-It's not doing quite what it did at auction, is it?

-It's not.

-It's fallen away.

-It seems to have... The bottom.

-It's calmed down, hasn't it?

-Yeah.

But I like the colour. The colour can go with anything.

-Some of them are really bright colours.

-Tangerines...

-Exactly.

-They might be a bit too wacky.

-It's an interesting colour.

-I like the shape as well.

-It's a good shape.

-Is that your cup of tea, Hossein?

-Yeah, I like it.

But for the price, obviously.

- Robin? - 65 would be the death.

So you're looking at a 1960s piece of Whitefriars glass, Baxter design. It ticks a lot of boxes.

It's not one of the iconic pieces. It's not a banjo or a drunken bricklayer.

But it's priced appropriately. It's not £200 or £300. We're looking at £65.

At auction...

on a bad day, it's only worth £40 or £50.

There's a wee bit of risk in that.

On a good day, worth £80.

-I think you're pretty close.

-But I think we need to take some risks.

Robin, can I be cheeky and ask for £45?

-No.

-Not at all?

-No.

It's a rare colour, it's a rare shape.

- It's worth 60, 65. - I quite like it.

-You like it?

-I do. I think we should do a deal.

-How much do you like it?

-Enough to give him...

- Would you take 60 for that? - Yeah, go on. Just for you.

-Will we get a deal?

-I'm loving your work, Esther. I think you've just done a deal.

- Thank you very much. - Thank you.

Just five minutes gone and Esther has bossed the Blues' first buy.

Now it looks like Kay is on home ground here.

In your bridal shop, do you see a lot of hat pins? Do you sell accessories?

No, but I would love a really nice sewing box.

These would definitely sell in my shop.

-They're quite cute.

-They're lovely.

-There's a nice selection of them.

You're looking for a nice, enamelled one, perhaps a little nine-carat gold pin.

I think this is all costume jewellery, but bear that in mind.

-You're looking for perhaps a nice jewellery casket.

-That would make my day, just to see one.

Let's keep our eyes peeled for some bling.

Now, from bling to a brooch.

If we look at the raw materials here,

we've probably got £5-worth of silver.

-Is that amber?

-And a citrine-coloured...

Citrine, which is a quartz variant,

but in truth, it's probably just amber glass.

So the media here, worthless.

But it's worth way more than the sum of its parts.

This is a worked piece by a manufacturer of some renown.

We should see it's marked Charles Horner, a northern manufacturer,

famed for Art Nouveau-inspired, small silver jewellery.

And there you have it, "CH", Chester, early 20th century.

Very nicely worked. Is that your cup of tea?

-Is this a brooch?

-It is a brooch.

-I don't think people wear brooches these days.

-They are coming back.

-Are they coming back?

I'm not a lady, so I wouldn't know.

So the best thing is asking the price. What do you think?

-42.

-£42? Brooches are out of fashion. This is what I think. I don't know what you think.

-Probably 1920s.

-Yeah.

-I think we'll come back to this if you don't mind.

-OK.

-I would like to put it back.

- That's a hot coals carrier. - Hot coals?

- A Victorian... - Right. You'd have it by your fireplace.

It looks like a Dalek!

When your fire had finished on the night, what were left, you'd just carry them out.

Keep you toasty and warm. It would appeal to me, but I've got Paul to keep me toasty and warm.

-I've also got a fleece, so I might have to put that back.

-Thank you.

While the Red Team are not making any decisions, the Blues have no worries. Or have they?

-Is that doing anything for you?

-Not for me, no.

I don't know. Are you into jewellery?

The thing is, coming from the Middle East, we do use worry beads.

High quality worry beads with gold and jade and what have you.

It is far too small.

-For our worries?

-For our worries, yeah.

-That's true.

-So I think we should...

-Crack on.

-Pass on that.

-If you don't mind.

Look, before we walk off,

before we walk off,

can you possibly make the brooch tempting to my mean compadre here, Hossein?

It's probably an easier sell to you, Esther, than it is Hossein, but I think you should...

To me, can I suggest a price without being cheeky and rude?

I was thinking about £28.

I'll do 30 for you.

£28 and we have a deal. Shake hands on it.

-It's early in the morning...

-Go on.

-My second item. You've got it.

-He's a machine.

-Thank you very much.

-Do you want to adopt me? Can we join up together?

-I can work with you.

Wow, two buys in just 12 minutes for the Blues! Can something sentimental tempt the Reds to part with cash?

-That's an interesting one. That's come from Gretna Green.

-OK.

We got married in Gretna Green!

They had that on the marriage vehicles. It's a mascot. >

-Our marriage vehicle was our old camper van.

-It was. We didn't have one of those on the camper van.

-What's the best you can do on that?

-95 on that.

I'd just do it under 100.

-This is rare.

-I like that.

- How about 65? - No, no.

- No? - There's no chance with that one.

I can negotiate with some of them, but not that. That is a one-off.

-< It's a lot.

-It's an interesting piece. It's a nice bit of brass.

It means something to you, which is quite important, and to a lot of people.

-I think at auction...

-How about 70 then? Come on, do us a deal.

- No, it's... - Come on.

There's no way I'd go any less than... >

- A true romantic would do us a deal. - No, I can't. I'm sorry.

- Shall we have a little think? - By all means.

-If it's meant to be, it'll be there when we get back.

-Something to think about.

-Yeah.

- Somebody else might come along from Gretna Green. - We'll see!

So, not even wedding memories will make the Reds buy something.

Meanwhile, the Blues are cruising with two buys in the old bag.

I like this one. I like the design on it.

Yeah, it's absolutely lovely.

You've got a maple top that's inlaid with the marquetry.

It's quite nicely done. We've got some more inlay inside with the padded interior.

-That's what you were looking for.

-I do like that.

-I like that.

-You're quite drawn to that.

-Yeah.

-I like that more.

I like a bit of tea.

Yeah, I think that this is a lovely lot and this is a nice lot too.

-How much is that one?

-Completely different.

-25.

-£25. Nice inlay.

It's got the initials. I get the impression that this was probably done by an amateur.

This is their initials. That's the impression I get.

Quite popular at the beginning of the 20th century for people to do marquetry in their spare time.

It is a sort of a hobby thing. However, this is quite finely done.

It's not painting by numbers marquetry-style.

-I like that.

-What about this item over here? It's just odd.

I say, it's good to hear that Kay is listening to her husband, isn't it?

After two quick buys in succession, the Blues are becoming too picky.

-Do you like that?

-No, I don't. Why are we looking at that?

Does that do anything for you? No.

It's a saucy clock. There's no great age to that, I'd say. That's resin.

-It's a modern piece, it's a modern collectable. Are we buying...?

-No.

You'll struggle to sell that at auction.

While Paul Laidlaw helps the Blues find their final item,

other Paul in the Red Team is struggling to get his voice heard. They still haven't bought anything.

-It's British pewter and this design all over it, it looks like it's been battered and bruised.

-Yeah.

It's hand-hammered. We've got the teapot, the sugar and cream and the tray.

I think the tray is quite key.

You see the bits and bobs all of the time, but the tray is bringing it together.

I can see the price tag - £45. It's not far off what you would be expecting that to make at auction.

Maybe we could go and have a word and do a deal. I really like that.

It's odd, I think it's pretty, even though it's rustic.

It's for display. However, it has the dual purpose in the sense that it can still be used.

People would still serve their tea out of it. It's decorative and delightful and worth a haggle.

-Definitely.

-Let's ask the lady. We've got a lovely lady here. This is beautiful.

I like it because it's a bit odd. It looks like it's had a bit of a battering.

I'm hoping I can do a bit of a battering to this £45 price tag. How about 30?

30... We couldn't go for 30.

-35 would do it.

-35's a good price.

- 35. - I think that's a good deal.

-I love it. Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much. £35 - are you happy with that?

-I love it.

Finally, a deal for the Reds. Half an hour gone.

Now, what are those Blues up to, eh?

Have you seen these, Hossein? "I'm sorry, Ollie!"

-"Another fine mess you've got me into!"

-Exactly.

Larking around by the looks of it. Meanwhile, the Reds haven't moved an inch.

-You like the box.

-I like that.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah.

-Shall we have a look around?

-No.

-Do you like it?

-I like that.

-It's a sewing box!

-My goodness!

-What have we got here?

-Paul is taking charge. I like it, Paul.

-I feel uncomfortable.

-My goodness!

-This is where I'd keep the little things that you make me throw away.

-I'm not keen.

-I like it.

-If you could do a deal, I'd be impressed.

-I will.

-Let's see you do it.

This one does have a price tag of 25

and I did notice just a tiny bit of damage.

-There is some damage.

-I wondered if there was anything you could do on that with us buying this too?

£20? Would £20 do it?

-Could we say 18 and then it looks like I'm a really good haggler?

-18.

-It would make me like him more.

-We'll have that as well. Thank you.

-Paul, we didn't know you had it in you!

So, after a painfully slow start, the Reds have bought two items in two minutes. Hugs all round then.

That is a Sumlock comptometer.

-A mechanical calculator.

-Oh, right.

- It used to be a trade... - It's a bit of a cumbersome thing.

We had a lady who'd done an apprenticeship on it. She became a comptometer or something.

She actually... That was a comptometer. That was her job.

Let me tell you why I'm looking at that.

This is a hot field.

As electronic technology renders such mechanical calculators obsolete, these become collectable.

I'm asking for a leap of faith here. That's an interesting object.

-I'm going to put my...

-Are you going to back him?

Yeah, I'm going to back Paul. What do you think?

-It's a hell of a contrast...

-I think it's two to one.

-..to glass and jewellery. I like that.

-It is different.

-We like it, we like it and it's adding up.

LAUGHTER

Hey, that's my kind of joke!

Now, Reds, are you still on fire?

-Imagine that, fire on, glowing through.

-That's absolutely fab. Paul, you like it.

-I like it because it looks quite child-like, like a small house.

-It's fun.

-I do like it.

We know why you like it. I think it's lovely. Cast-iron fireguard, exactly as you said.

It has got age to it, it has got a collectability factor. It's got the usefulness.

-I think we need to find out what it's got on it.

-It's £50.

Obviously, we want to bring that down a little. We don't want to give away that we've got plenty of money.

-We want to try and do a deal. Let's see if we can. Here you go.

-Thanks.

You can give it to me now.

This is a very special piece. It's called a Tidy Betty.

I couldn't do it for less than 45. That's what it has to be.

-Could we say 40?

-How about 40?

-40?

- 42. - Go on then. Yeah, come on.

-42.

-42's good.

42. OK, does it sound like a deal?

- Thank you. I love it. - It is special, that.

-It's my favourite thing of the day.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you. OK...

-All good.

-A Tidy Betty.

The Reds bought nothing for nearly half an hour, then cleaned up with all three buys in ten minutes. Tidy!

-What were you saying?

-It's 15.

-I'll give you £10.

-No, it has to be 15.

-Come on, £11.

-No, 15.

-Shake my hand.

-15.

14 then. Give me a pound.

Come on, give me a pound.

Three of us here think it's going to be 15. I think that was a good deal. Thank you very much.

-That's our third item.

-Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

-Guys, we did it!

-You see what I have to put up with?

The thing is...

To me, it was £10.

-Personally.

-Well, wait and see what the auction-goers think it's worth.

-I reckon they'll think it's worth more than 15.

-If I make any money on this, I'll buy you a coffee.

How's that? The other way round, I'll get my money back off you.

LAUGHTER

Would you believe it? Both of our teams have bought all three items

and there's still 20 minutes left on the clock.

Kay, I don't get much of this in Glasgow. Oh, this is lovely!

-What we need, as we're in Yorkshire, Yorkshire tea, Yorkshire man.

-Excuse me, young man!

-A celebratory ice cream?

-I think so.

-I'm up for that.

-Hossein, remember, this is a fixed price, yeah?

-All right, OK. This time, I'm...

-You'll be good.

-Yeah.

-Oh, fantastic. Paul, thank you.

-You're welcome.

-No biscuits?

I wonder how those Blues are doing? They'll be tearing their hair out!

-So we're going to buy six and we get one free, yeah?

-If you buy six, you get one free.

-Yeah!

-No biscuits? Biscuits?

-Do I get to sit down?

-Biscuits.

I thought he was the husband from heaven. Thanks. That'll be all.

We've finished nice and early which is rare, so let's have a little shufti at what the Red Team bought.

For the pewter tea service, complete with tray, they served up £35.

For the rectangular jewellery box with marquetry detail, they spent £18.

And for the Tidy Betty fire guard, they spent a tidy £42.

-You were chuffed with the fire guard.

-Loved it.

-Absolutely.

-I think we've got some happy customers here.

-I'd so take that home.

-That's nice.

-A bit of paint.

-You're a bit of a doer upper.

-Yeah. I like a bargain.

-What's your favourite, Paul?

-I like the small wooden box.

-Will it bring the biggest profit?

-I think it will.

-Yeah? Did you find it?

-I did.

-There we are.

-We could be millionaires.

-Do you think his box will do good?

-No, I think it's awful. But I let him loose with £18. What can you do?

Let your man out with £18 and he comes home with an old box.

-Your prediction as to which will bring the biggest profit?

-Definitely the fire guard.

OK, fine. What did you spend between you?

-£95.

-I'd like £205 of leftover lolly, please.

-Have I got the money?

You have. Not for long, though. £205. Now, Natasha,

this is your test, isn't it? How will you get on?

Kay and Paul bought all their items on one stand, so I have got the whole entire fair to peruse.

I've got a couple of tricks up my sleeve for you guys.

-Fantastic.

-That sounds very tricky to me. Right now, why don't we find out what the Blue team bought, eh?

For the Whitefriars glass vase from the '60s, they spent £60.

For the Charles Horner brooch, they spent a sparkling £28.

And for the 1950s Sumlock calculating machine, the purchase price totted up to £15.

-I wasn't sure about that at all.

-Have faith.

-OK.

-A good thing.

I tell you, kids, a lot of us aren't sure about anything on here.

-Which is your favourite piece?

-I think the Whitefriars.

-Whitefriars is your favourite. Do you agree, Hossein?

-No.

I liked the last piece we bought. The computer.

-The calculator.

-Yeah. Nice.

-I think it is unusual.

-Yes. And such a great colour.

-It is indeed.

-That's your favourite. Which will bring the biggest profit?

I don't know. I might have to back down and say their item.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-You can add up exactly how much you spent, which was...?

-£103.

-So who has got the £197?

-That'll be me.

-Right-o.

-You don't like handing this over, do you?

-No!

Anyway, lovely. Over it goes to Paul Laidlaw.

-That's a lot of cash.

-Far too much!

I have my eye on something to add to your profits. Considerably, I suspect.

That's intriguing. Trot off and snaffle it up, Paul.

Meanwhile, we're heading to have a look at something that's munchy, crunchy and really rather tasty.

What happens six billion times in Britain every year

that gives us all intense pleasure?

We open a packet of crisps.

Isn't that an extraordinary statistic?

Six billion times every year a crisp packet is opened by one or other of us.

And that's what makes this piece of kitchenalia, for me, special.

Because it's a Smith's potato crisp packet container

dating, I guess, from the 1920s or 1930s.

When it was made, this jar was not cheap.

If you rub your finger over the branding on the front,

it's not painted on. It's acid-etched on.

Each of the letters are indented because they've been acid-etched

and then the highlight, the lozenge in the Smith's name,

has been coloured so that it stands out.

Mrs Smith made her first crisp in Britain in 1918.

She did so well making these crisps that she moved to a factory the following year

and - hey, presto - a popular business was born.

In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, the business spread to Australia

and following WWII the company continued to grow quickly in Britain.

In 1961, the first flavoured crisps were produced -

chicken flavour - and up to that moment to flavour your crisps you had to undo the bit of salt.

Apart from the war years, apparently, when, as the story goes,

some of the female workers working in the crisp factory

not only tied up a little twist of blue paper with salt in it,

but they also gave details of their personal telephone number and address,

just in case a visiting American GI soldier should happen to have that packet of crisps

and ring her up for a date.

Isn't that fantastic? Almost as fantastic, I think, as this piece of kitchenalia.

An object which represents something we all do, apparently, six billion times every year

is bound to have a popular response.

Keep the crisps in the bag or, alternatively, go for the au naturel look,

Somehow I think this looks much better full of its proper product.

Don't you? The really tasty thing about it, though, is the price.

Cos this jar, if not with the crisps, could be yours today for £30.

How about that for an icon of British crisp making?

Mm! Tasty!

90. Five. 100. 10. 20. That's the lot.

We've trotted up the A1 to be with Peter Robinson in his sale room,

Thomas Watson Auctioneers in Darlington. Lovely to be here.

Thank you. It's good to see you.

-First is a three-piece pewter tea set on tray.

-Yes.

-There's an awful lot of them about.

-A lot.

Hammered pewter, cane handle to the teapot. They should get more respect than they do.

It's a little bit weak in style. If it was Arts and Crafts and a little bit more stylish...

-Is it 1930s?

-I think later than that.

-Oh, do you?

-Yes, I do.

-What's your estimate?

-We've put 30-50.

-Have you?

-Which is quite bold.

-It is four pieces, with a nice oval tray.

-You get a lot for your money. £35 paid.

-Perhaps they've done the right thing. Perhaps we'll get a profit.

-I'll keep my fingers crossed.

I'll also cross my fingers with the Alpine marquetry box.

Yes, again it's based on an antique theme, but I'd suggest this box dates from the '60s

or '70s. It's got the marquetry decoration to the lid. We've put 20-40.

OK, £18 paid. And the last item I find very difficult to get truly passionate about.

-It's our Tidy Betty.

-It's cast iron.

We see Tidy Bettys a lot in our sale room, but not in a cottage shape.

Fingers crossed it might be seen as one that's a little different.

We've put an estimate of 30-50, which might be quite strong, but it's different.

£42 paid. And it comes complete with rust.

-Yes, it does. No extra charge.

-I don't know whether this team will get away with it or not,

but I think they'll need their bonus buy, so let's have a look at it.

Now, KP - Kay and Paul - this is exciting.

You only spent £95. You gave Natasha £205. Darling, what did you spend it on?

-Well, you gave me £205, but like a true Scot I didn't spend it all.

-Good!

-I spent £55 on...

-£55?

-..a children's rolling chalkboard!

-The childminder loves it!

-I thought exactly of you.

-I love it.

-Do you love it?

-For £55? Bargain!

-It does remind me of school, though.

-Is that a bad thing?

-If you weren't so naughty, you wouldn't mind!

-The auction today is going live online.

It might be appropriate for a loft restaurant, specials of the day, rounding it around.

I do think it's got lots of purposes and I thought of you, Kay.

-I always think of you.

-I think the question to ask, though, is how much will someone spend?

Well, I would be hoping around £70, £80. I don't know if I'm being a little punchy, but...

I would definitely pay that.

-£80-£100. It's an unusual item.

-I think the idea of it being some sort of menu accessory,

that is not a bad idea.

OK, hang on to that idea. Meanwhile, for the audience at home,

let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Natasha's blackboard.

-OK, Peter. Does this take you back to your schooldays?

-Yes, I suppose it does.

I can certainly remember chalk and blackboard dusters.

-This is quite a modern object.

-Well, it's modern in relative terms.

We've put an estimate of £20-£40. When you look at it, there's a lot there to make it.

-It would cost a fortune to buy new.

-Yes, exactly. Well, £20-£40 is the estimate.

Natasha has paid a whole £55 for it. That's it for the Reds.

Now for the Blues. First up for them is the Whitefriars smoky glass bottle,

which just about says everything great about 1960s design.

It does, yeah. Whitefriars is very collectable.

The bottle vase is not a shape that we see so many of.

-The colour is not over-inspiring. I mean, it's grey-silver.

-Not like orange.

It's not like your tangerine and bright blues

that make a bit more of a statement, but we've put 40-60 on it.

-You don't get many pieces of Whitefriars in that price bracket.

-No, for a genuine one

-that one has no doubt about. Next up, another iconic silversmith. Charles Horner.

-Yeah.

This is a Scottish thistle brooch. It's silver, fully hallmarked. We've put 30-50 on it.

Based on the maker and the fact it's a silver brooch.

£30-£50 estimate is splendid because Paul only paid £28.

Now the profits today are going to be so massive, we'll need an adding machine. A decent one.

-So you think a Sumlock calculator would be the job?

-I think it might.

There's so many buttons on the top, I'm not sure how you'd use it!

The skill of the operator in an office, doing a complicated calculation with that thing!

And given that this is from the 1950s, so it's not that long ago,

and we have calculators now the size of a business card, it is quite amazing.

Whether that makes it very collectable or not, I'm not sure.

We've put an estimate of 20-40 to see if we can wheel in the vintage calculator collectors.

Very good. £15 paid by Paul, so he's a pretty cunning operator.

Excellent. I don't think they'll need their bonus buy, but let's look at it anyway.

Now, Esther and Hossein, what we have under that rag is £197-worth of bonus buy.

-I love that!

-I like that.

-Oh, good reaction!

-I really do.

-By the look of it, it's an old telephone.

-Boy, is it old! 1920s.

-1920, yeah.

-Wall-mounting.

With integral bell. This is from when you'd have a separate bell box.

-The reason I rate this is that it's usable.

-Ah, right.

-What an interior decorating dream. I think you can tell I like this.

-I like it, too.

-The crucial question...

-How much was it?

-That's the biggie.

-If I said £50, would you...? Let me tell you...

-What do you think it makes?

-At auction,

-it's cautiously worth 50-80.

-OK. Happy with that?

-I am happy.

-I like it.

-For the audience at home, let's see what the auctioneer thinks about it.

-OK, Peter, there's a trunk call for you

-I quite like this piece.

It's in such good original condition.

It seems to have its old wiring, so it might need some attention to plug it into your modern-day system,

-but I think it's worth giving it that attention and restoration.

-OK, what's it going to be worth?

We've put 50-80 on this piece to reflect its original condition.

-I think this is going to do well.

-I think so. £50 paid by Paul, so that should turn a profit,

if they decide to press button A.

-Anyway, we'll find out in a moment. Very good luck on the rostrum.

-Thank you.

£15. 20 in the balcony. 25 on the 'net. 25 on the balcony.

Sorry, 30.

-This is exciting, isn't it?

-Very.

-First up is your pewter tea set.

30-50 he's estimated. You paid £35. Next is the Alpine scene box. £18 you paid for that.

-Yours.

-He's put £20-£40. Well done. And then the Tidy Betty, which he's put £30-£50 on.

£42 was paid for that. So you're in the frame for making a profit on every item. How wonderful is that?

First up is the pewter tea set and here it comes.

158 is the pewter tea service. £15 to start it.

£15 to start. £20 now. £25. £30.

-£35?

-Make one more...

It's a room bid. Against you on the internet. £30. All finished now?

-Ah, they've got a bargain!

-£30. Minus £5. Bad luck.

-It could be worse.

-Could have been.

The jewellery box here. At £15.

Selling at £20. Lady in the second row. At £20.

At £20 and it's being sold.

At £20. All done?

-£20 is plus two. You're currently minus three.

-No one's ever been so excited about two quid!

The cast-iron cottage fire tidy. Do I have £20 bid?

25 I have. At £25.

30 for it. At 30.

35. 40 now. It's going to be sold.

45. 50? Are you sure? At £45. An internet bidder at £45.

All done? They're begging you. No? £45.

£45. Thank goodness for the internet. That's plus three. So, overall, you got absolutely nothing!

-It's wiped its face.

-We did not make a loss.

-Exactly right.

Absolutely nothing could be a winning score. You don't have to go with the bonus buy.

-There's no shame. There's absolutely nothing.

-So we're gambling with shame.

-Do you want to go?

-I like the item. I don't think it'll make a profit.

-Let's not, then.

-We should stick.

-Now I can tell you the auctioneer valued it at £20-£40.

-But it's a very difficult thing to value. We'll sell it anyway. Here it comes.

-I would buy it.

A children's playroom chalkboard. I have commission bids.

I'm opening at £25. At 30. Five.

- 40. Five. 50. Five. - No!

-70. Five. 80. Five.

-What have we done?!

100. 110. £110 in the second row.

£110. Being sold now at 110.

£110!

-£110.

-Well done, you.

-No one was expecting that!

-Well done, you.

-Listen, that is magnificent.

-Awesome.

You've got to applaud the girl. She took a punt. She paid £55, doubled your money. That's expertise.

-That's a proper bonus buy. Sadly...

-I said we should have gone with it!

-Sadly... Paul, you never did!

-He never said a word!

-So, overall, it's a wiped face. No profit, no loss. Just don't say a word to the Blues.

-We shan't.

-OK, you kids. You been talking to the Reds?

-No.

-No.

-Good.

First up for you is the Whitefriars bottle vase, a smashing thing.

The citrine thistle what-not for £28 is an absolute bargain. He's put 30-50.

It should do at least that and more.

Then you've got the desktop comptometer thing. 20-40 he's put on that. £15 paid.

It all looks pretty rosy. Then you've got the telephone.

-OK?

-OK.

-First up is the Whitefriars bottle vase. Here it comes.

Lot number 180. Whitefriars bottle vase.

Lot number 180. At £30.

Good Whitefriars vase. Five. 40. Five.

-50. Five.

-Go on!

-60. Five?

-At £60. All finished?

-I don't believe this! It's wiped its face.

Yes! £60. Wiped its face.

Now here comes Charles Horner. He'll be all right.

Charles Horner, hallmarked. This thistle brooch.

£15 to start. A Charles Horner piece of silver. £20. Five. 30.

Five. 40? £35, standing at the back.

£35. 40. 45. 50.

55. 60?

-£55. Right in front of me.

-£55!

-£55.

-That's two off 30... Which is 27. Plus 27.

Thank you very much.

The calculating machine. Lot 182. Vintage 1950s item.

£15. £15. £20 I'm bid. At £20.

-25, internet bidder. At £25. 30 anywhere?

-Pick it up.

At £25. The internet has the bid. No bidding in the room?

£25. Goes to the internet. Selling at £25.

£25 to the internet is plus 10. Thank you very much. That is plus £37.

Plus £37. How good is that? Now what are you going to do about the phone? You're in profit.

You don't have anything to worry about. Are you going to go with the wall-mounted phone?

-We have confidence in it.

-You're going to do it?

-We are.

-We both like it.

-And here it comes.

-186 now.

The wall-mounted telephone. Nice lot here. Commission bids opening at £40.

£40 I'm bid. At £40. 45. 50.

-Five. 60. Five.

-Yes!

-At £60 I'm bid.

At £60. Five can I have? 65. 70. Five. 80.

At £80 I'm bid. At 85. 90. Selling now at £90.

All finished at £90 for the lot?

Well done, guys. You did it!

-Thank you very much.

-That was a good bonus buy.

A bonus buy and your winnings is 40...77. Plus 77.

That should be a winning, could be a winning score.

I can go on holiday!

Well, it's been a funny old day, hasn't it? Have you been chatting?

-No.

-Not at all. OK, well, it is my duty

-to reveal today that the runners-up are the Reds.

-Awww!

You managed to go through the whole performance and you got absolutely nowhere, right?

No profit, no loss. You wiped your face at the end of your three items,

which ordinarily could be a winning score. Then you had the opportunity of selecting Natasha's bonus buy,

which you turned down. Then that made £55!

Her blackboard.

£55 on the blackboard. So I'm afraid, Kay and Paul, you're back where you started

-with absolutely nothing.

-We've got each other!

-And you've had, hopefully, a lovely experience.

-Brilliant.

-Fantastic.

But the winners are going home as winners with £77 of money.

There you go, Esther. That's that one and that one.

You had a £27 profit on Charles Horner, a £10 profit on the desktop comptometer.

And then, of course, the great Paul Laidlaw came through with another £40 bonus buy boost,

-which was great.

-Well done, guys.

-I'll be round for a pizza later.

-Anyway, it's been such fun. Join us soon for some more bargain hunting. Yes?

-Yes!

I know you're sitting there thinking, "I could have done better than that!" 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