Lewes 9 Bargain Hunt

Today we're going antiques hunting in East Sussex, and,

as the old Sussex saying goes,

let's not beat the devil round the gooseberry bush. Ha!

Let's go bargain hunting instead.

We're in the pretty market town of Lewes today,

which is one of the few places in Britain to have its own currency.

So, it's three experts, 60 minutes,

and 300 Lewes pounds each.

Let's have a quick check as to what's coming up.

There's more that meets the eye with these Reds.

Yeah. Well done. Not just a pretty face. Not just a pretty face.

While the Blues are playing with their toys.

He's really fun. Do you think the horse is on steroids? 1950? He needs to be.

THEY LAUGH

On the programme today we have two teams of couples.

For the Reds we've got Euan and Candice.

And for the Blues we've got JP and Donna. Hello, everyone.

Hello. Hello, hello.

Now, Euan, you two lovebirds met at college. We did indeed.

It was about nine years ago now. My first week at college, freshers' evening.

I was out with my friends, she was out with hers. I was looking for a young blonde,

she was looking for a gorgeous, athletic man - Yeah? I saw her, thought yeah, that'll do.

Hey, presto. Nine years later, it's good. Marvellous. Nearly a decade.

But you can make a quick getaway if you need to. I can. My hobby's running.

I started running about three years ago,

but I wasn't a big fan of chasing faster times.

So I decided to chase bigger distances instead. Yes.

So I stepped up to about 50-mile endurance runs.

Now I regularly run 100 miles in distance non-stop.

100 miles? All at once? All in one go. I run a marathon most weekends.

This man does a marathon every weekend!

And then he runs 100 miles. How long does it take you to run 100 miles?

100 miles is about 20, 21 hours for 100 miles.

So you set off from down here, and you're in Manchester 21 hours later.

Not quite Manchester, but a bit further away. Yeah, OK, Stoke-on-Trent, then.

Let's not pick a bone. Yeah. That is quite something. Thank you. Candice, you look sporty to me.

Yeah, very sporty. What do you get up to?

I don't do running. I'd rather catch a bus. But I'm more into intense training.

Yes. You like the high burn. Yeah. High burn. Not this endurance stuff?

No. No. So what's your favourite thing? Come on, sports-wise?

I play a lot of netball. I play about twice a week

in two different leagues. We play in the premiership, so we play against county players as well. Do you?

That's good fun. Turns out to be a rugby match halfway through sometimes, so it can get - A brawl?

Yeah, can get a bit nasty.

But, no, my main hobby is event riding.

I have five of my own, so I'm happy to compete... Is this your job?

Do you look after horses professionally? Yeah.

I'm a freelance event groom, or a rider. I go round to loads of yards,

just day-to-day routine of horse yards, or riding, or competitive riding.

A lovely life, then? A lovely life. Something I really enjoy.

Did you get bitten by the horse bug when you were a kid? I got a 12.2 pony. He's still alive today.

We bought him at 22 years old and he's now 45, so...

Has he got any teeth at all? He's got a few, bless him.

He can't really see. He's happy. He's just happy to be alive at the moment, so... Isn't that lovely?

Will there be a lot of horsing about today? We're going to have fun, but we do have a tactic,

we want to win. We're competitive, we're sporty, but we're going to have fun. OK.

We'll look forward to that. Jolly good luck. So, JP, was it first sight, first love for you two?

About 18 years ago I was living in a shared house in North London, and we had a house party.

Donna walked in with her mates, and I was like a cartoon character. My eyes were on stalks. Like that.

I thought, she's lovely. It took two-and-a-half years for me to get the bottle up

to ask Donna out for a date. What was so frightening about it that took you all that time? I was so shy.

It's all changed now, though, hasn't it?

Let's get on with the passion for food, shall we?

I am passionate about food, I love cooking, and where we live in St Leonards, Hastings,

the locally grown fruit and veg is phenomenal.

Part of what I was doing was encouraging people on lower income, poor diets,

to eat more fresh produce and show people how to eat healthily on very little money.

And do you cook a bit, too? I cook a lot. I love cooking.

So, Donna, while JP's at home cooking your dinner,

you're out in the community doing good works, is that right? Yes.

I work for the local authority.

I'm a cluster coordinator for five children's centres in St Leonards.

A cluster coordinator? Clusters of children's centres. Right. Across East Sussex.

Five centres makes one cluster. OK, fine. In St Leonards.

So, yeah, I coordinate the services that are delivered in them.

JP was talking about lots of deprivation in St Leonards and Hastings, and there is.

You know lots about it. Yeah. How will you get on, on this bargain hunting lark? With a laugh.

Since we met, we never stop laughing.

That's how many years ago? 15 years ago, 18.... 15 years together. That's not bad.

What's your skills in the antique department? I like lighting more than anything. I like kitchenalia.

Give me a bit... Chopping boards? No. Anything but chopping boards.

Oh, anything but? A fruit wood corer, if I could find one of those

I'd be delighted. Would you? Yeah. Nice to know you're easily pleased.

THEY LAUGH Exactly.

No wonder you're such a happy man.

If only a I could find a fruit wood corer, I'd be away.

My life would be complete.

Tell help you on your quest, I'm going to give you £300,

which should buy you an awful lot of fruit wood corers.

Anyway, on that happy note, you know the rules, your experts away,

and off you go. Very, very good luck. I wouldn't mind a corer myself.

Hoping to spin some profits for the Reds, we have the adorable...

Always wheeling and dealing, Tom.

And there's no masking this classic bust.

Philip Serrell's in it to win it for the Blues.

And they're off.

So Euan and Candice, you are quite sporty, aren't you? We are.

Very sporty. So you're uber competitive? Very.

Are we in it to win it? Got to come first. Yes.

You've got to come first? Is that true for you? Of course!

In your eventing, you must come first? Yes.

So what are we looking for? Quirky silver. Quirky silver? Quirky silver, and maybe something French.

Something French. And? Maybe some kitchenalia,

but not a chopping board. Let's go. Come on.

Have you got any tactics? We've got loads. Up our little sleeves.

Well, let's go and find out.

Thank you.

Morning. Morning. They're off at a pace, aren't they?

Don't get left behind. We're only in the first furlong

and the Reds have already spotted something horsey.

It's a what? A grass muzzle. We put it on them. Eight pounds?

How much do they want? You can't go wrong with eight pounds. How much are they worth? Quite a lot.

You can get them for £20, maybe more depending on the fabric.

But this is leather? We don't use leather ones anymore.

Why not? Because they're too hard. Like, it's better to have fabric

because then it breaks easily if anything were to happen.

In they got something caught? Exactly. Is that repairable? No. No.

We said that in union. Is that no good, then? No.

I'll put it back on the floor. It's just decorative.

Good try, though, Euan. And keep it up.

Do you like the oars, do you? Yeah.

How can we know if they're old? Shall we go and get them? I like them.

Don't rock the boat, eh, Thomas?

Got that? Yes. I don't know what oars are made out of but they look quite nice quality.

They look pine to me. They look in good tack. Would they be ornamental? Definitely for use. Yeah? For use.

What's the best on these? Up from 45. They can be 30. £30?

£30. Oh, what do you think? Wow, really good.

I think that is item number one. Done? Yes. Done? Yeah.

Item number one, done. Thank you very much. No problem.

Right, onwards and upwards. Ooh! Item number two to be found.

Well, that was all very painless.

These sport types don't muck about, do they?

This one's quite the place for motor memorabilia, I understand.

And these are classic, aren't they? Yes.

Bexhill, just down the road, is the home of motor racing.

That's where the first motor racing - Is it? The first ever motor race. Yeah.

Yes, you're quite right. Bexhill-on-Sea hosted Britain's

first automobile race on the 19th of May, 1902.

Those at auction, they're going to make five to ten pounds each.

Oh, really? Roughly. We'll put them back for a minute.

I'm concerned at the moment. Yeah, are you? Well, I am.

Because our time's going and we haven't bought anything yet. No.

I'm worried. What about this little thing here?

He's quite fun, isn't he? Yeah. Shall we get him down? Yeah.

He is quirky, isn't he? I think he's fun. It's really nice.

I think he's quite funny. Makes me laugh. He's really fun. What is he?

Do you think the horse is on steroids? 1950. He needs to be.

THEY LAUGH

It's 45 quid. Is it English, is it French, who knows? Who knows.

It doesn't matter, does it? It's brilliant.

It's 1950s, it's made out of painted plywood.

At auction it's going to make somewhere between 20 and 40 quid.

You've got to try and get the price down a bit, but you've got to buy it. We do, just for the fun value.

Why don't we just put it by... OK... and see what else we can buy. OK.

A job lot. Make a job lot out. We might do even better that way. Yeah.

Yep, you'd better get it off the shelf,

cos these Reds are hot on your tail; and they're not sitting about.

Look at these. I've never seen these before.

It says adjustable music or dining chairs.

So they've got an action, where you press this button, and they go up,

and they go down.

For children or for adults. Or, you know, vertically challenged people.

I mean, you won't ever have that problem, you two.

It's like a race. It is like a race. It is like a race.

Upstairs.

Do you know, there's no holding Candice back. She's competitive all right.

Well, we're now 20 minutes in,

with the Reds in the lead with one item bought.

Tennis racquets as mirrors. You said mirrors were good. But not tennis racquets. That's just ridiculous.

But not as mirrors. What is the world coming to?

I don't know either, Thomas. It was all so different in my day.

Anyway, what have you Blues spotted?

Let's have a look. It's interesting.

Oh, that's quite sweet, isn't it? Yes. This is an engraving plate, isn't it?

It's the original plate. Wow. And then the etchings would be taken - From that. Oh, wow.

That's interesting. It's a framed engraver's plate

of a rather famous painting by Fragonard.

That writing is actually the right way round.

So I wonder whether this is the plate,

and someone's put that on afterwards just to say... To identify it. Yes.

It's probably, I would think, early-19th century. Really? Yes.

At auction... Very nice. It is.

And it's a whole load of work in there. Yes. Yes.

At auction that's going to make between 20 to 40, 30 to 50 pounds.

Really? That sort of region. Right.

So we've now got to decide where we're going. Yes. Absolutely.

So much work for so little reward.

What do you think? Silk. It's not very you, you two. Beautifully done.

There's no price on it, is there? 45.

45. That's been done by hand. Do you see the embroidery on that? Yes.

The work? That is tremendous. How old is it? 1900, 1920?

What do you think? I mean, do people collect that? They do.

It is decorative, it is very attractive. It is plain, though.

Well, people don't like big, bold colours.

I just can't see where I'd put that. It's not you. It's not you. True.

Why aren't you an antiques' dealer? Look outside the box. Why aren't you an antiques' dealer?

I think you'd probably be quite good. It's not a bad thing.

You can't like everything you buy, that's the thing. Yes.

I don't want to pressurise you into buying something you don't want, I like this.

You've got to look outside the box. For the money, that's nothing. It's a snip. Have I turned you?

Yes, I like it. You didn't like it to begin with. I didn't, but looking at it, looking at the detail

on the thread. You haven't had a look, have you? Not closely. See, look at all that thread work there.

Let's take it downstairs. Shall we try and get it for a figure with a three in front of it? I think so.

A three-zero. A three-zero would be quite difficult.

Come on, let's take it downstairs.

Well done, Thomas, for teaching these two about quality and workmanship.

That's what we like.

Hello. Instead of dragging you all the way upstairs... Thank you.

We decided to bring this down as it was portable.

45 is on this.

40. I was hoping with a three in front of it would be great.

Were you? Yes, I was. Maybe 35?

I'm going to have to ring him.

Do you mind? I'll do it now. That's fine. Thank you very much.

OK, Henry, thanks very much. OK. Bye.

38, how's that? Oh, 38. 38! It's got a three in it.

I think that's a goer. Fantastic. Carry on, yes.

Yes? Are we going to do that? Deal. Sale!

That's two up to the Reds.

The Blues had better get a shifty on because we're now 40 minutes in.

We've decided that we'd like this etching. We'd also like the jockey.

Because we're buying two... 70 quid the two. 65, is that possible?

Go on, then, for 65. Lovely. Thank you very much.

So that fiver comes off the toy, which makes it 25 for the horse

and 40 for the etching plate.

Come on.

Well done. Both teams are now even.

I'm running like you.

We still haven't ticked those boxes. We haven't, no.

Yeah, but now time's ticking.

So let's hope a fresh shop will bring some fresh ideas,

or even some ancient ones with a deep chip out of it.

What is a Thebes stool? A Thebes stool is an Egyptian stool

found in the tombs where the mummies were incarcerated.

In the 1920s, when Carnarvon found Tutankhamen

and when we were really in the Valley of the Kings

having a good old hunt about, these were reproduced and were very, very popular.

Here we've got hieroglyphics carved round here. A little bit of damage there.

A Liberty stool. Liberty, the retailers in London,

did retail these as Thebes stools.

But I don't think it's worth £95, if the truth be known. No. No.

We need to buy it on a shoestring. You do need to buy that on a shoestring.

That Candice is a sharp one.

That's quite nice. I don't know how much it is. Oh, it is a knife and fork. It's not silver, is it? No.

It's stainless steel? What's that worth? I'm not going to tell you the price. You tell me.

I would pay maybe 20 quid at the most. Are they heavy?

They're a good weight. So you'd pay 20 quid at the most? At the most.

And what would you pay for those?

Nothing by the looks of it. Probably maybe 35.

I tell you what. I think you need to stick with him.

23. I know. He's very good. He is very good.

I think those are a bit of fun.

Food for though, I suppose.

Do you want to have a quick rummage? Let's have a quick rummage.

You have a quick rummage there. I'll follow you.

Now, Reds, all that money must be burning a hole in your pocket.

You've got quite a bit of money. We've got loads of money. Loads of dosh.

So how much have we got left? Around 230. Around 230?

That's a lot. Too much.

Right, we're in the last ten minutes - and that's your final warning.

That lighthouse. The big one in the back?

It's lighting and it's coastal. It's 1920s.

Oh, it's actually on a plinth.

I'll get the base. That's really funky. It is, actually. Yeah. Phil!

What have we found, what have we found?

We have found a nice big bit of rock.

That's quite funky, isn't it? Isn't it? Alabaster, that is.

Yeah. Why did you choose that one rather than that one? Cos it's bigger. Is that the only reason?

It does look like the Beachy Head one. How much is that? It's got a seagull. 48 quid.

Is it 1920s? It says 1930s. Yeah, I would think it's that, or a little bit later, isn't it?

Which do you prefer? Probably this one,

because that looks more like the Sovereign Lighthouse. Time's against us.

And I think at auction... It will make? I think it's going to make between 30 and 50 pounds.

That's what I think it will make. I'm very loath to admit this, but I quite like that.

Whey-hey!

We caught you out. OK, are you going to have a go at it? I think so. I think so.

We'll try and get money off it. It's priced at £48,

and I think its auction value is probably going to be between 30 and £50. That's my shot. Mm-hm.

Go and have a word with the dealer and just see what you can get it for. OK.

Good luck. Thank you.

Now, gather round, boys and girls.

Punch. I like that.

"Mr Punch, steel button hook, 1906."

What's the price? £67. There are Punch collectors out there for sure.

What does it appeal more to, a Punch collector or a button hook collector? Both.

Eastbourne, it's like... Seaside. Seaside. Seaside town. Exactly.

I like that. That's a good shape. It is a good shape. Well done.

Not just a pretty face. Not just a pretty face.

No, not just a pretty face. I quite like that. Quite like the collectability.

I like that. Is it silver? This'll be silver and this'll be steel.

Chromed to make it work. And that's for buttoning your gloves or boots.

I quite like it. You quite like it? Yeah, yeah.

Seaside, Punch collectors, button hook collectors.

Shall we see what the best price I can get? Yes. Let's go for it. Michelle? Hello.

Mr Punch silver steel button hook, 1906. 67.

Um... 60's a normal trade.

Yeah, what could you...?

50? It's quite...

That would be OK. 50? Just about OK. Just about? Yeah.

What do you think? Brilliant, yeah.

Fantastic. Are you going to go for that? Thanks very much. Thank you.

Thank you. Well done. Thank you very much, Michelle.

That's our third and final item. Brilliant. Yes!

That's the way to do it.

Sorry, I couldn't help it.

We'd like to buy... There we go. This lovely piece.

Our lovely Beachy Head lighthouse.

We'd like to ask you what your best, best, best possible price is.

Let's see who it belongs to. 43.

43? Do you think so? Yeah, let's go for 43. It is very unusual. Yeah.

Well, it is, and it's Beachy Head,

and the auction's in Eastbourne, so somebody there.

Made for it, isn't it? Exactly. As long as I don't paint it red and white.

OK, we'll pay 43, thank you. OK.

We love your shop. It's great. Thank you very much. We'll be back.

Time has elapsed, the hour has rushed by.

Let's check out now what the Red team bought.

By a stoke of luck, the Reds spotted these oars,

and splashed out a meagre £30 for them.

They then saw the finesse in this Chinese silkwork picture

and got the price down to...

Wow. Finally, they snapped up

a Mr Punch novelty silver and steel button hook at a cost of £50.

I think it was 59 minutes, yeah. Oh, no. Very close.

So just one minute left, was it? Yes, very close.

Very good, Tom. It's called time management.

I was completely relaxed.

So which is your best part of that shopping experience?

The last two minutes, cos you're like, decision, decision,

which way are you going to go? It's a bit like show jumping, right?

Yes. Under pressure. You've got to do your round. Nerves of steel,

that's the main thing. Keep calm. Yeah. What was your best bit?

Everything. I loved it all. We were looking for a sporty item but couldn't find that,

but we found, with Tom's help, three fantastic items.

Which is your favourite? I like the oars we got. Nice, tactile items.

We wanted something... We're going to be down in Eastbourne for the auction. Something near the water.

Seaside orientated. We managed to get that quickly. Which is your favourite? The button hook.

Yeah? It's a really cute little item. Really handy.

And how much did you spend altogether? £118.

What, on all three? Altogether, I know.

I've never taken her shopping and spent so little money. Amazing. Long may it continue.

I think I'd better have the £182. Thank you.

£182, Thomas Plant.

I've seen something. I'm going to spend most of it. Is it horsey? No.

Is it to do with running? No. Well, it won't be popular.

THEY LAUGH On a happy note, why don't we check out what the Blue team bought, eh?

The Blues saw the fun in this pull-along horse and jockey toy.

At the same time, they snapped up the 19th-century engraving plate

that will surely print a profit at £40.

And they were saved just in time by the lighthouse-shaped electric lamp.

The things we bought were not what we were expecting.

Always the way. Pressure, pressure, pressure. Sounds like everyone had a smashing time. We did.

Which is your favourite bit, Donna? I really like the horse we bought. I think you'll enjoy him, too.

I can't wait to see it. What about you? Definitely the horse as well. You are welded to the hip, you two.

We are, absolutely. Like mirror images. Yeah.

Donna did have a shave this morning.

THEY LAUGH

There will be pillow talk about that, JP.

It's all very well you being brave now.

Off the telly you'll get a bit of stick for that one. Absolutely. OK.

Which piece is going to bring the biggest profit, Donna? I think the etching will.

Tim, I'm not grovelling, but I agree.

See what I mean? I had to say it. I rest my case.

Because it's unusual and it's very pretty.

It's no wonder you're so happy together, it's marvellous.

It's a fantastic thing to see. So how much did you spend all round?

We spent £108. £108? That's nothing, is it? No.

OK, so can I have £192, then?

Begrudgingly. Yeah, you don't like handing it over. No.

It's your only miserable moment of the day,

but he's very happy, old smiler here. Look at him take that lot.

Well, these guys like some sort of, I think, 20th-century stuff.

So I'm going to go and find a bit of 20th century

that might lighten their darkness.

Well, good for you, Phil.

And before we leave the picturesque town of Lewes,

I want to show you something I found in a shop just down the road.

With all this wood about, it's not surprising

that people develop a passion for the stuff,

and I have to say it is a passion that I share.

Particularly when you get the opportunity of coming across a little fragment, like this.

How special, on a special scale, out of ten?

I think this thing could turn out to be nine, if not ten, out of ten.

What is it? If you look at the back there's a lot of woodworm holes.

What do woodworm really like to have a chomp at?

They really like pear wood and they really like walnut.

And this strange gingery-coloured wood is pear wood.

Where does the thing come from?

Well, funnily enough, I think it was carved in Germany

in a place called Augsburg.

The next thing that shoves this up the scale right to the top

is the subject of the carving.

We have here a horrible scaly beast.

That is an alligator or a crocodile.

And then we've got a man who's attempting

to open the alligator or crocodile's jaws with his bare hands.

This is not a sensible thing to do.

In fact, this person had never seen one of these creatures.

The woodcarver has only seen a drawing or a print.

In 1510,

the first rhinoceros was brought to Europe,

to Portugal. As a result of that weird beast arriving,

all sorts of drawings and prints were produced,

principally by a man called Durer.

Durer had never seen the rhinoceros either.

He'd simply been told it was a great big beast with armour-plated sides,

and he produced a drawing accordingly.

And that, for all Europeans,

was their interpretation of the rhinoceros.

Similarly, nobody had seen any crocodiles or alligators.

But some drawings were distributed early in the 16th century,

and that is the basis, I reckon, of this particular piece of carving.

It's early, in my view, between 1520 and 1550.

It shows this extremely oddball subject,

and if I was able to trace the original drawing, or wood block,

from which this wood carving was carved,

it would make this object extremely valuable.

Right now you could buy it for £100.

But with the research, with the uplift,

it could bring as much as £2,000.

Now, at that,

I'd bite his arm off.

Eastbourne Auction Rooms is where we're at,

and Paul Alkalis is the man of the moment. Paul, how are you feeling?

Very well, thank you, Tim. Excellent.

Anyway, first up for the Reds are a pair of oars.

Pretty ordinary oars, I'd say. Pretty ordinary pine oars, Tim.

Some of these oars are fantastic, aren't they?

They're brass-tipped, but these are off a pretty modern dingy, I'd say. I would say so.

If you had to put your toe in the water, how much would you put on them?

An uninspiring 20 to £30, Tim. OK, £30 paid, so that's not too bad.

Next is this really beautiful, very finely worked silk picture.

That is something else, isn't it? We like this, Tim.

Basically, the colour's pretty good, isn't it? Colour's pretty good, fine detailing.

It's quite a nice Chinese silk work, that. So it's Chinese? We believe it to be Chinese.

It's so subtle the colours. The maple leafage coming over it

just in the autumn, just about to turn colour.

And sometimes less is more. Exactly. The space is this thing is dramatic.

How much, Tim? We've estimated this at 100 to £150.

100 to 150? £38 is all they paid.

Just look at that. That is what you call a bargain - if you're right.

Next is the steel and silver button hook. Mr Punch. Very popular,

Mr Punch. Shame it's a button hook,

but I'm sure somebody will do something with that,

maybe even take Mr Punch off there and mount it onto something a bit more interesting.

But we've got high hopes for him as well. So how much? We think he'll make 30 to 50. Jolly well needs to.

Our lot paid £50 for it. I think it'll make 50, won't it?

Um... Fingers crossed. OK, we will cross our fingers.

And just in case, perhaps we ought to take a look at the bonus buy.

OK, you two lovebirds, you spent £118, yes?

You gave Tom Plant £182.

He's a bit of a devil like this. What did you buy, Tom?

I bought something that really tickled me. What?!

Oh, my goodness! What do you think of that?

He's not having a nice time, is he?

His bottom's being bitten.

Did you spend all the money on that? Not all the money,

but a significant amount.

OK, let me just tell you. It is Austrian,

it's a coal-painted bronze.

So the technique of casting the figure in bronze

and then coal-painting it, and it's beautifully done.

These things are so charming and so collectable.

He's not having a good time, is he? It's 1920, around that period.

Candy, you just hold it. Feel it. Feel it. You can see how heavy it is. Whoa!

Do people collect those, or things made in that material? It's bronze, so it's a hard material to cast.

It is very funny. Is it not heavier than you thought it would be? A lot heavier.

I thought it was like some kid's little plastic toy. Exactly.

Something that came out of a cracker? Yes. It's not. But it ain't.

It's got a mark on it. Made in China. Gerschultz or something. Made in China. I think not!

It'll say Gerschultz, I think.

Which is very similar to Made in... Made in. It's Austrian.

You haven't said how much you spent on it. That's quite good.

I avoided that one like the plague. It can't be a lot, surely? Yes.

These are terribly collectable.

£120. What?! Three figures, yes. Oh, my goodness.

It was marked up a lot more. I had to work hard at that.

So what do you think it will estimate to sell for?

I would've thought you're looking at a minor profit of 130, 140.

But they are rare. Oh, my goodness. It's a huge gamble. Lovely job.

You've had your prediction. You're clearly under impressed.

Let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Tom's little croc.

There we go, Paul. What about that for a sweet little novelty?

Very nice, isn't it? Nice hand-painted metal. Bronze?

I should think so. It's got to be, hasn't it?

I would think it's Austrian, from the Bergman period there. Very well detailed. It's a nice subject.

I know. When did you last see a child been bitten in the boxer shorts by a crocodile?

It's the first one I've ever seen. How much do you think? We've put 40 to 60 on it. Is that all?

OK. £120 paid by Thomas Plant for this,

with a great reassurance that it will make money.

Anyway, we'll see. That's it for the Reds. Now for the Blues,

and first up for them is the articulated toy horse.

A nice pull-along toy horse there made by the Tri-ang Company there,

dating from around about 1940s, 1950s. Yes.

Cos Tri-ang is one of those quintessentially English factories, isn't it? It is.

With the three, what were they called, the Lines brothers?

Yeah, and together they make a triangle, hence Tri-ang,

which is a clever bit of marketing for their toys. Very much so.

I believe they started in the early 20th century. Well, it's in good nick, I have to say.

What do you think it's going to bring? We've put 20 to 30 as a pre-sale estimate.

Well, slap bang in the middle. £25 is what they paid.

Next is this very strange silvered copper French engraver's plate

all framed up. Do you like that? It's not my cup of tea, I'm afraid.

It is decorative, but you can't see the detail because it's so tiny.

So it slightly loses the point, doesn't it?

Yes, it does, and some of the silver-plate has worn from it as well.

Yes. Still, it's unusual. So, as an unusual thing, how much?

We've put a decorative value on it of around about 40 to £60.

Very good. £40 paid, so that's excellent.

And lastly is the alabaster lighthouse lamp.

I don't know about you, but I find that lighthouses, in any material,

bronze, turned stone like this, are always popular.

Very much so, especially in Eastbourne. We've got our own lighthouse just down the road.

As with alabaster being a soft stone, it's got lots of little chips and scuffs on it.

So what's the estimate on the lighthouse? 30 to £40, Tim.

OK. £43 paid. Overall, they haven't paid much so they can't lose much.

So they may not need the bonus buy but let's go and have a look at it.

OK, JP, Donna, you spent £108, you gave Phil 192. What did you spend?

Well, lights, camera, action. Are you ready for this?

Oh, wow! Oh! Oh, that is fabulous. You've done good. That is brilliant.

I think these are really cool things. It's a vintage Major theatre light. Uh-huh.

Cost me 80 quid, which might seem like a lot,

but I think, if you can put that on top of a tripod, like that.

It's fantastic. You've got yourself a really cool interior light. Impressed.

You've done very well. But will the people of Eastbourne see what you and I see? I don't know.

You said 1930s? No, Fifties. Fifties, yeah.

It's a bit of a lump, isn't it? It's got a lovely lens on it. How much?

80 quid.

I've seen these things sell, on tripods, for close to £200.

There you've got it in a nutshell. Let's put the spotlight on the auctioneer and find out,

for the audience at home, what he thinks.

Right, Paul, you're under the spotlight with this. It's a theatre spotlight, isn't it?

It's in cast alloy, made by a company, Major.

What more is there to say about it? Tatty. Tatty.

I've seen these things polished up to the nines. The really shiny, straight aluminium job on a tripod.

But this is not the same, is it? No, it's not.

Putting your most speculative hat on, what's it worth? Possibly 30 to 50.

Uh-oh. £80 paid.

This could be Philip Serrell's comeuppance.

Let's wait and see. Thank you very much, Paul.

OK, Euan, Candice, how are you feeling? Excited. Nervous. Very.

Your first item is a pair of oars, right? Not so old oars, either.

No. No? They might make firewood rather than oars, I don't know.

You paid £30, he's estimated £20 to £30. OK. And I reckon you'll just about wash your face. Yeah.

If the worst comes to the worst, you've got the little Austrian figure of the guy with...

The bottom being bitten. Yeah. So there we are. Happy with that? Very happy.

Moving forward then, first up is your oars.

A nice pair of oars these. We start on commission at £20.

At £20, and I'll take two. At £20, two bid, five, eight is it?

25 has it. At 25. Go on.

28 I'll take. At £25, then. All done and letting them go at that bid.

25. HE BANGS GAVEL

£25. You're minus five. It's cheap.

The fine Chinese silk work picture there, of ducks beneath the branch. Framed. This will make up for it.

It's conflicting bids at £80. I'll take five from you now. At 85, 90.

Five, 100, 110. 100 has it.

At £100. Nice silk picture, that, at £100.

At £100... This is great.

Come on.

Commission there at 100. HE BANGS GAVEL

That's what we like to see. Thank you.

That's two off 40. That means you're plus 62.

Look out. Amazing. Here comes the button hook.

With the silver Mr Punch figural terminal there.

It's hallmarked Birmingham.

50 is where we have to start. It's what we paid. Exactly.

55 is bid on the internet. Come on. At 55.

At 55, all done and selling. Are you bidding? 60.

Yes. Well done. Five on the net now. Good choice.

At 70, sir. And five.

Seated at 70. 75 on the net. 80?

At £75. All done and selling.

HE BANGS GAVEL That's 25. Well done, team.

Yes. That's 25. So you're 57, 77.

You are plus £82. Wow!

You spent £118, and you just made £82 profit on your investment.

Yes. That's good. What are you going to do about the Austrian bronze?

He can't help you. He's not allowed to. I won't say a word.

You can't look at him. We're only here once. Shall we go for it? Yeah, we might as well.

You really want to, don't you? Go on then, go for it. Yeah? Go on.

You will sacrifice your potential dinner out together

on a speculative turn... It's a nice dinner. We'll go fish and chips.

Are you going with it? Yes. You're going with the bonus buy? Here it comes.

Coal-painted bronze metal figure. We start this on commission at £50.

At 50. I'll take five. Five is bid on the net.

65. Oh, we've gone up. At 65, and 70. And five is it?

At 80, and five. Come on. 90, and five. No money.

100, 110. Come on. I'll take 20 elsewhere.

At 110. 120 on the net or in the room, wherever you like.

At 110 the bid. One more.

Selling it on that bid. HE BANGS GAVEL

Oh, £110. You're just one shy. That is such bad luck.

Ten pounds down. Did you feel it happening, though? Yes.

Oh, bad luck. Anyway, you're still plus 72. Yeah.

That's still a good dinner, isn't it? It's still supper. Yeah.

We just lost our starter, but it's still a good main and a pudding.

OK, lovely. Now, listen, don't say a word to the Blues, OK?

Look miserable, actually. Can you do that? Yeah.

Is it possible? I can do that. OK.

Now, JP, Donna, do you know how the Reds got on? I haven't a clue. No? No idea. OK, that's good.

You just spent the £108. Yep. Your big investment was the lighthouse. Yes. You spent 43 on that. Yes.

He's estimating £30 to £40. That's OK. Not bad.

So we might be all right. You might be all right. And if all else fails, you've got that nice theatre light.

Fantastic. Are we happy with that? Very happy.

First lot coming up is the jockey. Here it comes.

The Tri-ang articulated horse and jockey wooden pull-along toy. There is it. £20 I'm bid on commission.

22, five, eight bid. At 28. Where's 30?

At 28. 30 do I see?

32. We're in profit. 35, 38, 40, 42 on the telephone then.

At £42. Anyone else? Runaway.

At £42 only, all done and selling.

It's plus £17. Excellent.

Plus 17, children. That's good.

Now, we've got the Fragonard.

Early 19th century silvered copper French engraving plate.

Come on. There it is, straight in at £40 on commission.

My double here at 40. I'll take two from you.

I'm bid on the net now at £42.

At £42. You're all out in the room at 42. Come on.

It's on the internet, at £42. All done.

HE BANGS GAVEL Yes, that's plus £2.

There's nothing the matter with that. A £2 profit.

There you go, the electric lamp in the form of a lighthouse.

It's got a seagull mount to the base. At £30.

Go on, we've got the Beach Head one down the road. 32, 35, 38,

40. Still on commission at £40 only. One more, one more.

I'll take another two. One more. At £40. Letting it go on this bid at 40.

Anyone else? One more. All done and selling at £40 only. Oh dear.

HE BANGS GAVEL £40 minus three. That is bad luck.

So 17, 19, minus three is plus 16.

Whoo! Plus £16. There's nothing the matter with that. No, no.

So you're in the profit. What are you going to do about the theatre light?

I think we'll go for it. I think... We've got faith in you.

Phil won't influence you one way or the other. He's too much of a professional.

THEY LAUGH

He's not even going to wink or show any sign of approval. He's holding his breath.

He is holding his breath.

OK, fine, the decision is you're going with it, yes? We are.

It's a funky object. Exactly. A funky object for a funky couple, eh?

OK, happy with that? Let's do it. We're going with the bonus buy. Here it comes.

The vintage Major theatre spotlight. There it is, look.

And how about 20 to start me on this lot?

20 I'm bid. At £20. I'll take two.

At 20, two's your bid. At 22, five.

At £22. Anyone else at 22? Oh, no.

All done. Selling, £22.

Anybody else want to bid? This is terrible. Come on, who else wants to bid?

£22 is bid. It's appalling. HE BANGS GAVEL

£22? Isn't that good? No. You've got a bargain.

That is terrible. Thanks, Phil.

You tried - but you failed. Yeah, miserably.

That's minus 58, that one. Ahh.

Minus 42. I'll tell you... It's the thought that counts.

Eastbourne isn't ready for this.

Anyway, minus £42. Could be a winning score.

Don't say a word to the Reds. It's been a winning day.

Yes, we really enjoyed it. Thank you.

Thanks for having a punt.

Gosh, what naughty teams we've had today, haven't we?

But we've had a lovely time. And there is, of course, a polarity here,

in that one team has done extraordinarily well,

and the other team hasn't done so well.

Anyway, at the other end of the pole, I regret to say, are the Blues.

Ohh!

Minus £42.

Not at all assisted by that wretched theatre lamp. A great thing.

A great object. Just not ready for Eastbourne. Not ready for Eastbourne.

Anyway, you've been brilliant about it, and does it really matter not to win? It doesn't matter.

Not in the scale of things.

You've had this opportunity of being close to the great Philip Serrell, haven't you? For days and days.

Seriously, we've loved having you on the show. You've been great sports. Thank you.

Which is what it's all about. It isn't easy when that happens, but you've been fantastic.

Thank you very much. Now, the team that is going away with some profits,

the lucky old Reds, £72-worth of profit. Brilliant. Well done.

They, too, had to suffer their disappointments at the hand of the bonus buy. Yes.

They had £82, but, sadly, that was reduced as a result of somebody

not being so attracted to the crocodile boxer short-eating bronze.

No. But there we go. It's all a question of taste, isn't it, Tom? Absolutely.

Did you have a good time? It was great fun. Really good. Really good.

And to go home with the money. Is he going to take you out to dinner? Yes. Probably only a main and a starter.

Don't be so horrid. Join us soon for some more bargain hunting. Yes?

ALL: Yes!

I know you're sitting there thinking, "I could've 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